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Simpsons Toy Shop in Stowmarket closes after 100 years | Simpsons Toy Shop in Stowmarket closes after 100 years |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A toy shop staffed by the same family for six generations is to close for the last time after more than 100 years. | A toy shop staffed by the same family for six generations is to close for the last time after more than 100 years. |
Simpsons Toy Shop in Stowmarket, Suffolk, was due to shut on Christmas Eve but has continued to trade to clear its remaining stock. | Simpsons Toy Shop in Stowmarket, Suffolk, was due to shut on Christmas Eve but has continued to trade to clear its remaining stock. |
Sarah Seaman, daughter of 73-year-old shop owner Ernest Baker, said: "It's the end of an era, it's very sad." | Sarah Seaman, daughter of 73-year-old shop owner Ernest Baker, said: "It's the end of an era, it's very sad." |
She added: "Dad will close the door, it's going to be horrible." The shop will shut for good at 17:00 GMT. | She added: "Dad will close the door, it's going to be horrible." The shop will shut for good at 17:00 GMT. |
Five staff have already been made redundant. | Five staff have already been made redundant. |
Mr Baker's wife, Coral, was the last of the Simpson line. Her great-grandfather opened the shop in the 1890s. | Mr Baker's wife, Coral, was the last of the Simpson line. Her great-grandfather opened the shop in the 1890s. |
Mrs Baker ran the shop until her death in 1998, when her husband, a farmer, took over the business. | Mrs Baker ran the shop until her death in 1998, when her husband, a farmer, took over the business. |
Philip Baker, Ernest Baker's son, who has been managing the shop, added: "We're just going to trade as normal on Saturday and then shut up shop at five. | |
"You hear customers saying 'You just can't do it, you've been in the town so long', but I just have to explain times are changing." | "You hear customers saying 'You just can't do it, you've been in the town so long', but I just have to explain times are changing." |
Competition from large supermarkets and the growth in internet shopping have played a major role in the toy shop's demise, said the family. | Competition from large supermarkets and the growth in internet shopping have played a major role in the toy shop's demise, said the family. |
Mrs Seaman said: "I personally don't want to be in the shop on Saturday as I'll be so upset. | Mrs Seaman said: "I personally don't want to be in the shop on Saturday as I'll be so upset. |
"We were going to close at Christmas but we had some stock left so it was a good excuse to stay open just that little bit longer, none of us wanted it to close." | "We were going to close at Christmas but we had some stock left so it was a good excuse to stay open just that little bit longer, none of us wanted it to close." |
More than 1,000 people have liked a Facebook page created by customers to try and save the business. | More than 1,000 people have liked a Facebook page created by customers to try and save the business. |
"We can't simply move the business into the town because here we own the property, whereas in the town the rent and business rates would be far too expensive - so it would have no benefit to move the shop there," said Mrs Seaman. | "We can't simply move the business into the town because here we own the property, whereas in the town the rent and business rates would be far too expensive - so it would have no benefit to move the shop there," said Mrs Seaman. |
"My son, myself, mum, granddad, his father and his father's father have all worked in the shop - that's six generations of our family - it's a lot to say goodbye to." | "My son, myself, mum, granddad, his father and his father's father have all worked in the shop - that's six generations of our family - it's a lot to say goodbye to." |
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