Cobbler to close after 19 years in business

Dean Jones is closing his shop in Gloucester after 19 years in business

A cobbler has said the cheap price of shoes online and the cost of living crisis is to blame for the closure of his business.

Dean Jones has been repairing shoes at St John's Heel Bar in Gloucester for 19 years, having set up the business at the age of 21.

He said he is "gutted" to be closing the shop permanently on Saturday.

"People don't have that spare money to pay for repairs," he said. "We've got cheaper places to buy things from like Marketplace, Vinted and eBay."

"We've got so many different platforms that people can get things for at a fraction of the cost," he added.

Dean Jones said cobblers are closing up and down the country

Mr Jones had hoped the job would see him through to retirement, but said the younger generation was not interested in repairs.

"They want [repairs] because the shoes that they've broken in are really comfortable, but then they don't want to pay the cost of repair," he said.

He said he had also seen an increase in people not returning to pick up their shoes and pay for completed repairs, leaving the business out of pocket.

"We've done the materials, we've had to pay the wage to do the job and then we've lost out," he explained.

"I'm not the only shoe repairer that has struggled, my friend's shop in Cheltenham closed down in June.

"Up and down the country there are so many places that are closing down, there are so many towns that are going to lose their little cobblers and I don't know a way forward."

Nader Razae, who runs a tailor in Gloucester, said the "trade is dying"

Business owner Nader Razae runs a tailor shop in Gloucester and said the closure of the cobblers was very sad.

He said: "He's a piece of the puzzle in town. The way he is looking after the customer, for the community, he's brilliant.

"We will miss him and we are losing our national traits basically. By closing down, a trade is dying.

"When he goes it's really going to be a big miss."