The High Street of a busy town is frequently in a state of flux, as it should be - while some stalwarts remain for decades, others make way for newer and more relevant or perhaps burgeoning independent businesses.
Despite this natural progression, it can be hard to say goodbye to the beloved shops that, in some cases, have been mainstays of our local areas for decades.
During 2023, Marlow loved and lost a fair few businesses, wide-ranging in their function and custom - some for reasons more heart-aching than others.
We've rounded up a non-exhaustive list of the shops to which the town has bid adieu over the last twelve months, so get strapped in for a quick spin around the (very recent) nostalgia block.
D and J News
Marlow lost not just a treasured local newsagent but a community stalwart this summer when co-owner of D and J News on West Street David Cooper sadly passed away following a battle with cancer. David ran the town's last remaining paper delivery newsagents with his wife Julie for 40 years. Before shutting up shop for good, David told the Free Press: “We’ve made lots of friends, we’ve seen lots of people pass through and onto above. It’s been a good time. We’re sorry to go, but we’ll be happy to meet again.”
M&Co
Clothing retailer M&Co ceased its operations on Market Square back in April as part of UK-wide store closures that followed the business entering administration for the second time in December 2022. A spokesperson said at the time that the closure of the Marlow branch followed a buyout from AK Retail, the negotiations of which did not include an in-store or online continuation of M&Co products. No fear, though – Everyman Cinema’s next-door neighbour won’t sit empty for long as JD Wetherspoon is planning to move a new pub, named The Swan Hook, into the empty venue, presumably aiming to monopolise on the market of excitable moviegoers.
Sara Hughes
In a blow to Marlow’s independent marketplace, furniture shop Sara Hughes, formerly on West Street, closed its doors in May after a decade in the town. Founder and namesake of the store, Sara Hughes, told the Free Press that the closure had long been in the works and was of her own volition, based on a desire to focus on building the brand’s virtual presence and spend time designing her own furniture. She added that she would miss the town, dubbing it – “Such a nice place with a lovely community”.
Paws Etc
The Marlow branch of an independent pet store and dog grooming business closed in late March due to “unforeseen circumstances” following what was hoped would be a temporary closure earlier in the year. A spokesperson for Paws Etc. thanked their many “loyal customers” in Marlow, adding: “We will miss all of your dogs as if they were our own.” Pet owners responded with emotion to the news, with one person saying they were “heartbroken” and another saying: “We’re so sad to see you go.”
FourState
Eco-friendly shop FourState closed its doors on Spittal Street way back in January after co-founders Robert Kemp and Patrick Brown decided the business – which had since expanded to branches in Henley, Windsor and Bracknell – had ‘outgrown’ its flagship store. Taking to Facebook at the beginning of the year, a spokesperson wrote: “We have simply outgrown our original store, and for that, we have to thank you, our loyal customers. We will be back – this definitely isn’t a goodbye, just a ‘so long for now’.”
Satollo
Nearly two years after opening, the Satollo delicatessen and café on Marlow High Street closed in September – marking the reduction of the Satollo brand down to the original café inside Liston Court. Opening its doors in late 2020, the new deli marked an expansion of the business including over-the-counter cheese and meats and a hot menu, but the operation was dialled back in autumn due to “the evolving economic landscape” of the hospitality sector.
HSBC
An honourable mention has to go to the final banking branch in Marlow, HSBC, which shut in July, marking a final nail in the coffin of the banking branch exodus from the town’s High Street. In a closure review, a spokesperson for HSBC said the decision was due to “changes in the way customers are choosing to bank”, with a growing trend of online banking meaning that “nine out of ten customers (were) making transactions via telephone, internet or smartphone” before the branch closure.
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