This much-loved department store enjoyed its heyday during the 1950s and 60s with its sales always a highlight for shoppers from Watford and beyond.

The Blue X sale at Clements became a retail tradition in Watford and attracted customers in their droves, looking for a bargain among the vast range of products that were available at the shop.

This picture from the Watford Observer archive was taken in July 1963 and the size of the queue outside the store and snaking back along High Street illustrated the popularity of the sales, as dozens of people waited patiently to be let in through the doors.

Watford Observer: Dozens of bargain hunters were waiting to get into the shopDozens of bargain hunters were waiting to get into the shop (Image: Watford Observer)

First opened in 1898 in the reign of Queen Victoria, Clements reached the height of its popularity under the direction of Richard Edmonds, who became chairman in 1965 before passing the position on to his son-in-law Jamie Rankin in 1997.

Mr Rankin and his wife Anna remained at the Clements helm until the end of January 2004 when the department store closed its doors for the final time.