A retailer who has operated in Keswick for the past 23 years has made the difficult decision to cease trading.
Roger Scoon, who owns Southey Interiors on Southey Street, said that he had enjoyed being involved in numerous “fantastic projects” over the past two decades. For a time the business was located in Packhorse Court.
But the 63-year-old said that the business, which was rebranded as William Rogers Design last year, had become “a hard slog” and the opportunity for him to call it a day had presented itself.
“We have had floods, recessions, the pandemic and the internet to contend with and I have got to an age when it’s time to relax,” said Roger. “It’s a combination of things that have influenced my decision.
“I have been thinking about it for a long time, but the opportunity has not presented itself. The economy is on a downer and it’s a fight. The internet has also hit us hard and since the pandemic people have started buying more online.”
The shop will be open for business every day between now and Thursday March 21 during which time there will be a ‘fire’ sale. Everything in the shop and warehouse is on offer and any reasonable offers will be considered. The business, which Roger runs with help from Tanya Rothwell, will cease trading at 2pm on March 21.
“We don’t want to drag it out,” said Roger. “We are going to do it (close) very quickly. We are trying to sell anything we have got for whatever we can get and then call it a day.
“We sincerely hope that a new generation of young entrepreneurs will open shops and thrive in Keswick. In the age of the internet it is all the more important to support local small businesses and I urge all who value local shops wherever they are to support them accordingly.”
