Dress shop owner to retire after 50 years

Samantha's Boutique has been on Chantlands Avenue in Hull for decades

A Hull dress shop owner is retiring after almost 50 years of selling wedding and prom outfits.

Samantha's Boutique on Chanterlands Avenue was set up by current owner Suzie Bilton's mother Maureen in 1973.

Now Ms Bilton is hoping to sell the shop to somebody who will take over the business.

She said fashion had changed over the decades.

School prom dresses "have got a bit more extravagant", Ms Bilton said.

"In those early years, you know, just a nice, simple long dress," she said.

"But now we're going for the bigger the better type of thing on some, but then also you've got your nice fitted ones that some of the girls want."

The shop operates a one style of dress per school, meaning when one student buys one they will not sell the same one to another pupil.

"They're not particularly cheap," she said.

"And you don't want to be forking out a lot of money for the girl down the other classroom to be wearing the same dress."

Ms Bilton said the shop was set up after her mother left a city centre boutique and her former customers began contacting her to get dresses.

"People were ringing up saying 'oh I can't find anything to wear. You know what I like.'

"So she borrowed £100 from the bank, went over to Leeds to a fashion agent in Leeds and bought five dresses and her first customer bought three.

"It just grew and grew from there."

Suzie Bilton said she would miss the shop and its customers

As the business expanded her mother moved into the shop and eventually took over the flat upstairs as a showroom.

It was named after the lead character in the 1960s American sitcom Bewitched.

Ms Bilton said she would miss the shop and its customers.

"It's been special times really over the 42 years, but I'm sure it'd be exciting for somebody else to to start up."

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