55 High Town Road was home to a draper's then a hairdresser's business during the 20th century. It is still a hairdresser's at the time of writing [2011].

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed to determine its rateable value. The valuer visiting 55 High Town Road [DV1/R59/17] found it, like 51 and 53 High Town Road, owned by Alfred Pridmore. It was occupied by the Misses Sarah and Elizabeth Pridmore who, like Alfred himself, were drapers. They paid rent of £32 per annum.

Accommodation comprised a shop measuring 12 feet by 13 feet, a kitchen and a scullery with two bedrooms above. A barn stood outside as did an old stable used as a lumber store.

Directories for Bedfordshire were published every few years from 1839, for example, the beginning of the 20th century has directories for 1903, 1906, 1910 and 1914. Countywide directories ceased to be published during the Second World War, the last for Bedfordshire being in 1940. Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has directories just for Luton for 1939, 1950, 1960, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1974 and 1975. The first street numbers in High Town Road begin to appear in directories in 1885 but it looks as if there was some renumbering of properties on the odd side of the road between 1890 and 1894.

• 1894: Hucklesby & West, engineers and machinists;
• 1898: Misses Sarah and Eliza Pridmore, drapers;
• 1903: Misses Sarah and Eliza Pridmore, drapers;
• 1906: Misses Sarah and Eliza Pridmore, drapers;
• 1910: Misses Sarah and Eliza Pridmore, drapers;
• 1914: Misses Sarah and Eliza Pridmore, drapers;
• 1920: Misses Sarah and Eliza Pridmore, drapers;
• 1924: Misses Sarah and Eliza Pridmore, drapers;
• 1928: Misses Sarah and Eliza Pridmore, drapers;
• 1931: Misses Sarah and Eliza Pridmore, drapers;
• 1936: Misses Sarah and Eliza Pridmore, drapers;
• 1939: Misses S. & E. Pridmore;
• 1940: Miss Eliza Pridmore, draper;
• 1950: A. Dobbin;
• 1960: Maison Lesley, ladies’ hairdressers; Mrs. J. L. Stagg;
• 1965: Maison Lesley, ladies’ hairdressers; Mrs. J. L. Stagg;
• 1968: Maison Lesley, ladies’ hairdressers; Mrs. J. L. Stagg;
• 1972: Maison Lesley, ladies’ hairdressers;
• 1974: Maison Lesley, ladies’ hairdressers; top flat S. C. Spendley;
• 1975: Maison Lesley, ladies’ hairdressers; top flat S. C. Spendley;
• 2011: The Barber Shop and The Groom Room.