Q&A
Independent Footwear Retailer of the Month
Cheryl Taylor talks to ladies’ and men’s independent footwear retailer, Barbara Leyland, of Wigleys Shoes in Ashbourne, Derbyshire.
Q&A
Name: Barbara Leyland Shop: Wigleys Shoes, Derbyshire
Brands: Pikolinos, Tamaris, Gabor, Jana and Joseph Seibel
Q: How did you get into footwear? Tell us about your background and your current business? A: I have been involved in the business since the age of four as I used to help my father on busy Saturdays! My grandfather bought the business from a Mr Wigley in the early 1900s, who had established the business in 1830 as a shoemaker. My family can trace their shoemaking background back to the 1500s in
Cirencester and they became master shoe and boot makers with the family name being “Winstone”. I am the third generation in this business and have been trained by my father, Roger Winstone, and by Clarks Shoes in Street. I learned to make shoes and studied retail and many aspects of running a family business. My father had a very successful business but sadly died when he was only 56; after his death we sold the business as I was too young to take it on. After I went travelling I ran Panache in Ashbourne for five years, then I met my husband and he suggested I re-open the old family shop as it was sadly missed.
Q: Tell us about your store, your staff, and the local area and your typical type of customer? A: Wigleys is situated on the main high street in Ashbourne and covers three floors – the ground floor for men’s and ladies’ footwear, the first floor for seasonal footwear and ladies’ fashion, and the second floor for accessories and ladies’ fashion. We decided to stock ladies’ fashion to complement what we were doing with ladies’ footwear as there was a gap in the market for quality clothing at reasonable prices, and it slotted in nicely with the other excellent retailers in the town. We have a brilliant team of staff who have worked for us for many years,
one of them being Rachel who joined me in my first year in 1990 and became Manageress. Belinda is the Manageress now and has been with me for 20 years, and most of my team have stayed loyal to us and added their unique characters to the business. The sound of laughter is never far away!
Q: How have you found business in recent years? Tell us about your experiences and any difficulties you’ve encountered? A: We take each day as it comes and appreciate the positives that come our way. We don’t do negative, and we don’t do boring! After the pandemic our customers’ needs changed as they had begun pursuing outdoor interests, so we needed more suitable footwear for that. Then, when weddings and special occasions resumed again we needed more dressy shoes. Some suppliers were more helpful and understanding than others.
Q. Do you have an online shop or website, and do you use social networking for business? A: We tried an online website but found that the work involved was so
32 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • APRIL 2024
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