Retailer opens new shop 125 years after its first

One of Guernsey's oldest retailers has opened its new shop - more than 125 years after its first.

Department store Creaseys was founded in 1899 by Benjamin Creasey, with a drapery shop on Mill St, St Peter Port.

His great-great-grandson, Jonathan Creasey - the current managing director - opened the company's latest shop on the town's High Street on Saturday - on the site of the former HSBC bank.

Mr Creasey said the secret to the company's longevity was "not resting on our laurels", adding: "There's nothing that means that we'll be here tomorrow, so we need to continue to invest and to look forward."

"We've always invested in the business and I think that's why I'm stood here as generation five and we're 125 years old," he said.

The first phase of the new shop opened on Saturday morning after more than two years of building work, with many local tradespeople used.

Lorainne Mahy, from St Andrews, was the first customer to buy something from the new shop - a cream jumper.

Her first impressions of the new shop were that "it's modern, clean - I'm just really impressed".

Many historic features have been incorporated into the shop's new design as a nod to history, including a mirror made from the counterweight of the bank's old lift

The company - which also operates the island's Marks & Spencer franchise - said many historic features had been incorporated into the shop's new design as a nod to history.

These included vintage wallpaper, exposed brickwork, and the counterweight from the bank's old lift - which has been turned into a mirror feature.

Creaseys' lingerie, handbags and women's clothing departments have moved into the new building and Mr Creasey said other parts of the new shop would open over the next 18 months.

He said the hairs on the back of his neck "stood up" thinking about people's reaction to the new shop.

Mr Creasey said he wanted people visiting for the first time to "forget where they are for the moment" and say to themselves 'this is really quite special'."

"Remember, it's only chapter one of a continuing story - we've got a busy year-plus ahead of us," he added.