UK furniture store to close – family business since 1907 | UK | News
A historic family business has confirmed plans to leave a UK town after nearly 120 years. Southons of Salisbury, which has been part of the Wiltshire town’s retail sector since 1907, is to close permanently following the retirement of managing director Chris Southon. The furniture and upholstery firm was run by three successive generations of the Southon family, moving premises in 1924 before expanding its presence in the late 1960s.
Mr Southon described the decision to cease operations as “very difficult and emotional”. he said Salisbury Magazine: “With no succession taking place and the increasing commercial pressures under which we now operate, we have reluctantly decided that the time is right to close the curtain on our glorious history.”
He added: “We are proud of our long and successful relationship with Salisbury and will continue to provide the best service to our customers.
“There’s a lot of history here and we’ve had some wonderfully loyal customers over the years, but now is the time to move on… It’s nice to be able to live up to our terms.”
The site, on Catherine Street in Salisbury, will continue trading until the end of July, with the closing sale starting next month.
While neighborhood residents shared their sadness at the news on social media, many recalled the long local history of the family business.
“I have the coffee table that my parents’ co-workers gathered together and bought from this store as a wedding gift in 1966, and it still looks like new,” one person said.
Another added: “So sad to see the town lose such a well-established name. My family used to shop there for their furniture when we lived in Salisbury in the late 80s and early 90s. Let’s hope the shop doesn’t sit empty for too long.”
Rising operational costs and economic uncertainty linked to the war in Iran have increased pressure on retailers across the country in recent months, exacerbated by weak consumer demand.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Retailers hope a ceasefire in the Middle East will bring lasting stability but the outlook remains uncertain.
“Damage has already been done to supply chains, and rising costs – from transport and fertilisers, to insurance and commodities – are putting further pressure on already struggling retailers.
“The government must act decisively and boldly now to curb inflation by postponing domestic policies that would drive prices even higher for shoppers.”
