Q&A
Q: Have you always had a passion for footwear? A: Shoes have always been an important part of my life and I never tire of looking at them. When I travel, I try to decide which country someone comes from by looking at their footwear – and I enjoy looking at how shoes are made and differ from country to country. I have a small collection of shoes from Morocco and India which are handmade and embroidered.
Q: Tell us about your customers? A: We have customers from far and wide – some who even plan their holidays around a visit to our store! Which is always lovely to hear. Some customers have been coming to our shop for over 75 years!
Q: How do you think the Government could best help footwear retailers at this difficult time? A: Retailers on the high street and in towns would benefit greatly by having free parking for its customers nearby to put them on an equal footing with out-of-town shopping centres. Since Covid there has been a reduction in turnover; the most noticeable reason for this is online selling, people working from home who do not need smart clothing and they do not need to come into town for anything. The closure of banks in most towns has also added to a lack of footfall. Efforts should be made to get employees back into the workplace,
for many reasons, including mental health. The decline of towns and retail shops within them is contributing to a breakdown of society as the
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interaction between customer and retailer is diminishing, and I think the pandemic played a huge part in that change. We have very high overheads and we must maintain our buildings that form an important part of our town; we employ many local people and pay all the relevant taxes, which all contribute to making our towns pleasant places to visit. It would be greatly missed if any more of us close. It will be an irreversible process. Until the Government addresses the unfair competition between online and the high street, retailers’ sales will still be struggling. Therefore, a reduction in business rates and energy costs would be helpful.
Q: Do you have any plans for the future? A: I still enjoy being a retailer in Ashbourne, but my staff are taking over many more responsibilities as I get older, so I would like someone to buy my business and carry on the tradition of running a successful shoe shop. That is my main aim.
Contact
Contact: Barbara Leyland Wigleys Shoes 20 St John St, Market Place, Ashbourne, DE6 1GH Tel: 01335 342884
www.wigleysshoes.co.uk •
sales@wigleysshoes.co.uk
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