Unlike most neighbouring High Streets, Orpington's did not become entirely retail before the second world war. It retained an interesting mix of shops and older buildings, put to a variety of uses.

Here is one of the last survivals about to be demolished to make way for a Tesco store.

Built in the late 19th century on land attached to The Firs, a large old house, this cottage remained in residential use until the 1930s when it became a nursery office.