A historic family business has confirmed plans to leave a UK city after nearly 120 years. Southons of Salisbury, which has been part of the Wiltshire city‘s retail landscape since 1907, will permanently shut following the retirement of its managing director Chris Southon. The furniture and upholstery firm has been run by three consecutive generations of the Southon family, moving premises in 1924 before extending its presence in the late 1960s.
Mr Southon described the decision to cease operations as “very difficult and emotional”. He told the Salisbury Journal: “With no succession and the increasing commercial pressures under which we are now operating, we have reluctantly concluded that this is the right time to bring down the curtain on our illustrious history.”
He added: “We are proud of our long and successful relationship with Salisbury and will continue to offer the best service to customers right to the very end.
“There is so much history here, and we have had some fantastic loyal customers over the years, but it is the right time to move on … It is nice to be able to go out on our terms.”
The site, on Catherine Street in Salisbury, will continue trading until the end of July, with a closing-down sale set to launch next month.
Residents took to social media to share their sadness at the news, with many reminiscing on the family business’ long local history.
“I have the coffee table that my parent’s work colleagues clubbed together and bought them for their wedding gift in 1966 from this shop and it’s still good as new,” one person said.
Another added: “Very sad for the city to lose a well-established name. My parents used to shop there for their furniture as we did when we lived in Salisbury in the late 80s and early 90s. Let’s hope the shop doesn’t remain empty too long.”
Rising operational costs and economic uncertainty linked to the war in Iran have heaped pressure on retailers across the country in recent months, worsened by tepid consumer demand.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Retailers hope that the Middle East ceasefire will bring lasting stability, but the outlook remains uncertain.
“Damage to supply chains has already been done, and rising costs – from shipping and fertiliser to insurance and commodities – are piling yet more pressure onto already-stretched retailers.
“The Government must act decisively and boldly now to curb inflation by delaying domestic policies that would push prices even higher for shoppers.”