By Rosie Watson
SHOPPERS and locals in Westbury-on-Trym have received with sadness the news that a stalwart of the community will be closing its doors for the final time in September.
Hardware store, WH Mogford & Son, is believed to hold the title of Bristol’s oldest shop, having served the village in the same premises on the high street since the 1860s, with an ironmongers on the site for 20 years before that. However, Paul Gillam, pictured, below, who took over the family-run business in 2004 but had worked for the previous owner since 1995, has had to make the very difficult decision to close up permanently by the end of September.
Paul said: “I have come to this decision due to the continuing decline in customer numbers, the increasing costs of stock, staffing, bank and utility charges, and the desperate state of repair of the rented premises.”
The previous owner was the last in line of the original Mogford family, but Paul has been running the shop with his daughter, Sophie, maintaining the tradition of keeping it a family-run business, along with a small, but dedicated, team of full- and part-time staff.
The shop has a reputation in the village as being the shop that “sells everything” and indeed, it is a treasure trove of all you could want for DIY, hardware, pets and gardens – and many more things you didn’t even realise you wanted. To the idle shopper, the shelves are quite overwhelmingly crammed, but the staff know where to lay their hands on anything and are renowned for their helpful and friendly personal service – in fact, the shop is regarded as quite a community hub where locals meet for a chat, while making their purchases.
Residents greeted the news on Facebook with dismay, sharing their own stories and memories going back generations. One called it the “best go-to business for so many things that no-one else stocks”, while another praised the “amazing knowledge and customer care and looking after so many for so long”.
However, there was much sympathy and understanding for the plight of small, independent businesses, with Mogfords being just the latest in a long line of closures in the village due to higher costs, parking difficulties and out-of-town retail centres.
Paul says that he is undecided what he will do next, but hopes to find something similar elsewhere. In the meantime, he and Sophie say they wish to “thank the many local customers who have supported us over the years.”