The Triangle
The small shopping centre at The Triangle in Langdon Hills
opened in autumn 1976. It was built as a replacement to the many shops that were closed when
the High Road was being redeveloped by Basildon Development Corporation. It took its name from its
location within a small triangular shaped piece of land between the High Road and Berry Lane. A
short unmade pathway linking the two roads, sometimes seen on old area maps as Triangle Road, had
existed from at least the early 1900s and probably earlier, though this was lost along with a semi-detached
house and a detached bungalow when the centre was built. The five units were all at ground
level with pedestrian access from either Berry Lane or off the High Road. A small car park was
also provided along with a toilet block and post box. A High Road underpass to the Langdon Hills housing estate
was later built, as was a community hall which opened in early 1979. Some of the first shops to
open were a foodstore, greengrocer Paul Lucy, who ran one of the displaced High Road shops, a Golden
Gate Chinese take-away at 3A, S.B. Youngs off licence at No.4 and Martin's newsagent with sub-post office. Around
1980 the centre was the scene of a major fire which gutted the newsagents and damaged the
remaining units. During the rebuild the sub-post office was housed in the community hall adjacent
to the centre. Sometime during the 1990s the council maintained toilet block was removed. A second major fire
on Thursday, 3rd January, 2013 was so intense it completely destroyed all the shop units and the centre
was demolished. During 2013 owners Basildon Council revealed plans for a new centre to include
six shops and upper floor flats which gained approval and building work commenced in 2014. As an interim
measure a demountable unit, used by McColl's as a temporary shop and post office, opened on-site on 3rd
October, 2013. This closed on or around 21st January, 2015 to allow for the completion of the new
centre, which was officially opened on Friday, 27th November. At the time of opening, with the exception of two vacant units, McColl's newsagent,
which had opened a week prior to the official opening, was soon followed by Domino's pizza take-away. Below are some of the traders to have occupied the units. | 
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