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Town's menswear shop closes down after 157 years

Sam Read
BBC News, Northamptonshire
Reporting fromWellingborough
Kris Holland
BBC News, Northamptonshire
Sam Read/BBC Neil Warwick, standing in a shop. He has grey hair and is wearing a white shirt, blue tie and a white shirt with an oxford collar.Sam Read/BBC
Neil Warwick said he was the fifth generation to run the shop and "sadly the last"

A men's clothing store described by customers as being a "foundation" of a town has closed down after 157 years.

Warwicks of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire shut down on Saturday following the retirement of its fifth-generation owner Neil Warwick.

Mr Warwick, 61, said none of his family wanted to taker over the business, which he claimed was the oldest retailer in the county.

Speaking about the closure, he said that the shop was still "profitable and successful, but that's life".

Mr Warwick said the final week of trading had been "incredibly busy", with many customers coming in to share stories and memories of visiting.

"A lot of people just wanted to come in and say 'wow, I used to come here with my dad, grandad... so many people," said Mr Warwick. "People have travelled in from miles away."

The shop was opened in 1868 by his great, great, grandfather Samuel Warwick and then passed down to five other Warwicks - Harry, Cyril, his father Alan, and then to Neil and his brother David.

Alex Pope/BBC The outside of Warwicks now, with several people walking past. It has closing down sales in the window, clothes in the main windows, and the front is made of brick, with a metal frontage for the sign in black. Alex Pope/BBC
Warwicks, in the centre of Wellingborough, has been updated over the years

He said when David died in 2019 it made him realise he wanted a "new adventure" and there were "other things in life", adding he would "spend a bit more time enjoying life", starting by taking his wife on holiday.

"We've recently become grandparents and have lots of nice things to do. I'm sure I won't get bored," he said.

Warwicks The outside of the Warwicks shop in 1900, with a steam-roller outside. Five men are standing outside the shop with hats and clothes in the window. Two men standing in front of the steam-roller are holding brooms and one is driving it. Warwicks
The Warwick family lived above the shop in 1900

'Last bastion of town'

The shop used to make its own suits but stopped in the 1960s when ready-made wear became popular. It also sold school uniforms until 15 years ago, when online retail really took off.

Speaking before the store closed its doors for good, customers shared their sadness at the end of Warwicks.

Sam Read/BBC Barry Day in a white T-shirt stands against the blurred background of the interior of Warwicks.Sam Read/BBC
Barry Day said the closure was a big blow for Wellingborough town centre

Barry Day travelled from Bozeat for one last visit.

"My relationship with the shop goes back over 25 years," the 67-year-old explained. "I would buy uniforms for my son. They've got really good quality men's clothes. It will be a sad loss.

"This is a foundation of Wellingborough... I don't think you'll get a quality shop like this ever again."

Sam Read/BBC Colin Gilmour in a brown polo shirt stands against the backdrop of belts inside the menswear store.Sam Read/BBC
Customer Colin Gilmour said he had been coming to Warwicks for about 50 years

Colin Gilmour, 76, lives in Earls Barton but grew up in Wellingborough.

He said visiting the town used to be a "day out" for him in his youth.

"It [Warwicks] is one of the last bastions of Wellingborough. It's sad but things move on I suppose."

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