00:00Okay Chris, so you're the owner of AR White in Bealston, and you're closing down aren't you?
00:08Yeah, after 96 years we decided to call it a day, 11th of October is our final day.
00:13It's going to be a sad day, but it's coming round a bit quicker than I thought.
00:17Incredible though, a long time isn't it, 96 years?
00:19Yeah, it's been in the family since that time and I'm so grateful for all the customers who have supported me over the years.
00:26Without them we wouldn't have lasted 96 years.
00:29And it was your grandfather wasn't it who started?
00:31Yeah, my granddad in 1929, and then my dad followed him when he was 18, and I decided when I was 18 as well.
00:37So how long have you been here then Chris?
00:39Officially 45 years, but obviously I've been coming down here since I was in the pram, but officially 45 years.
00:46And what changes have you seen in the industry?
00:48A lot of changes, the way the business has changed as far as the stock and different ages of customers and that sort of thing.
00:57So yeah, it's been a lot of changes.
00:59Have you had to kind of incorporate the internet and websites and all that kind of stuff?
01:02We never went on the internet because I've always thought we were a total what I call a brick business, you know.
01:08Yeah.
01:09And we never looked at the internet.
01:11No, no.
01:12But you've always had really good footfall.
01:14Yeah, yeah.
01:15Thank God.
01:16Yeah.
01:17Because the business won't survive without a footfall.
01:19No, absolutely.
01:20I've always been grateful for that.
01:21What do you think of Bilston overall as a place to operate?
01:24Yeah, it's great.
01:25It's great.
01:26The market's fantastic.
01:27The people are fantastic.
01:28Yeah.
01:29At the end of the day, it will survive.
01:32There's a lot going on in the town and I'm pretty sure it's surviving.
01:35I hope it does.
01:36Yeah, absolutely.
01:37So, any plans for the future, Chris, when you put your feet up?
01:40I'm going to have sort of six months off, possibly find a part-time job just to keep me out of trouble.
01:44Yeah.
01:45But that's probably my plans, really.
01:46Just enjoy maybe the holiday and a bit of time with family and friends, really.
01:50Absolutely.
01:51Well, good luck anyway.
01:52All the best for the future.
01:54Appreciate that.
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