Leatherhead AHEAD: from the archives

Council blamed as 48 years era ends
Closure of store 'due to one-way'

MAJOR Leatherhead store Taylors Ltd is to shut in September. And its owner blames the closure partly on the new road system.

The sports, toy and cycle shop has been in the town since 1949. But it has been losing £2,000 a month since the introduction of the one-way system.

Ten members of staff at the High Street shop have already been given notice and a closing down sale has begun.Taylors itself has been a feature of Leatherhead since 1934.

The present owner, Mr John Davis, bought it when he came out of the Royal Air Force. At one stage he employed between 35 and 40 staff.

But with rate bills of £1,100 a year and heavy losses the number in Taylors, and Mr Davis's other shop, Pimms, in North Street, has dwindled to around 22.

Mr Davis is Leatherhead's biggest individual ratepayer. He applied for a rebate last year, and got f800;
"It was peanuts," he said, "We've held almost continuous sales since the beginning of the year in an effort to keep turnover going. But you just don't see anyone. The people, are not coming in. We had a very successful business - I never imagined anything like this would happen. If anyone had told me 2 months ago I would have laughed in their faces."

Mr Davis blames not only the road system for his drop in trade; he says lack of parking facilities and the attitude of the council are also responsible. "It is very, very upsetting. But you just cannot go on always losing money, and it doesn't look as if the council are going to give us any assistance," he says. "It is due to the terrible road conditions which prevail in Leatherhead which make shoppers stay away from the town. Parking is unavailable and we are surrounded by areas of free parking; in Cobham and Epsom."

And he slammed the committee which has £5,000 to spend on ideas to improve the town and draw back shoppers. "You don't' need £5,000: They could just phone me and I would tell them what is needed," he says. "What has happened in Leatherhead is a mistake. Leatherhead will not revive unless it is put right." And that, he said, meant at least re-opening Church Street and providing a roundabout at Bull Hill.

Nevertheless, Leatherhead has not yet seen the end of Mr Davis. He plans to move the furniture shop Pimms into the Taylor's premises at the end of September. The North Street shop is being redeveloped and he has the opportunity to move back when work is completed. "If it had not been for that option," says Mr Davis, "I probably would not have even carried on with Pimms."