A much-loved homeware shop in Gerrards Cross has bid the town goodbye after four decades.
Ian Peaple, store manager of Lighting Matters on Packhorse Road, announced the closure of the small business on social media last weekend.
Describing the community as a "second home", Ian said he had made the decision with a "heavy heart" following 21 years at Lighting Matters and a further 20 under the shop's initial name of Lights and Shades between 1983 and 2003.
The 61-year-old said the closure was due in large part to the changing retail scene, with many customers choosing to shop online, and the lingering economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had made running the business “too big a hill to climb” for the dedicated but sparsely numbered team.
He said: “It’s been an amazing time for me in Gerrards Cross – first with Lights and Shades for 20 years, then 21 years with Lighting Matters – but it has been getting tougher since Covid.
“People were forced to shop online because of lockdown, and we accrued large debts trying to stay afloat.”
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Nonetheless, Ian is determined not to go out on a sour note and is focused on thanking the “wonderful” local community for their unwavering loyalty and support throughout the decades.
Speaking directly to his customers, the 61-year-old said: “Thank you for being a part of our journey – while we are sad to close this chapter, we are very thankful for the memories and the relationships we have built with you.
“I’ve loved my time serving the community of Gerrards Cross and occasionally trying to entertain them with my Squeezebox (instrument). Your patronage has meant a lot to us, and we have enjoyed helping you to illuminate your homes and businesses.”
“I wish my fellow surviving traders every success and hope they get the support they need from the government and the wider community.”
Reacting to the news, customers said they would “greatly miss” both Ian and Lighting Matters, with many describing it as the “end of an era”.
Gabriella Battrick said she remembered working at the Natwest bank opposite Lights and Shades “a lifetime ago” in 1985, praising Ian as a “fantastic mainstay” of the town, while Karey Hardcastle said that what the 61-year-old had “done for Gerrards Cross” went “far beyond” his professional endeavours.
Johanna Dodd added that the town “wouldn’t be the same” without the shop, while Justin Horran urged Ian not to be a stranger and "come back and entertain us with your music and enthusiasm for life”.
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