I think I'm right in thinking you live in Brighton? If so, have you lived there long enough to remember the Glass Animal Man, who worked in the window of a shop on the road down from the station?
My mum and dad retired to Hove, and I would get the train down from London and always see him as I walked down to say 'hello' to the sea and on to their flat opposite the cricket ground. For some reason the shop came in to my head today, and through the wonders of the internet I found this picture of him, which made me feel all funny about those now far-off days....
His name was Bill Axcell.
https://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/topics/topicviews/mystery-photos-of-brighton-and-hove/mystery-photos-of-brighton-and-hove-23