There was a radio 4 series called the Penge Papers - I was probably too young or not interested to listen to it, but I later read about it, that featured a department store based on Cobbs. Either from that, or from what I heard elsewhere, the staff outnumbered the shoppers. But this was not what influenced Grace Brothers.

Actually just done a search - I am sure this was a radio programme but apparently not.

See http://forum.sydenham.org.uk/viewtopic.p...3b4bf758a2 if this link works for far more