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'End of the road' for family-run store after 112 years

Marc Gaierand
Richard Baker,North West
News imageBBC A grey haired smiling Christopher Hancock stands, arms folded in a blue jumper over a white shirt, in front of the green-signed Hancock and Wood departments store BBC
Christopher Hancock is the fourth generation of his family to run the department store

A Cheshire department store which has served shoppers for more than a century will close its doors next month.

Hancock & Wood, currently owned by a fourth generation of the Hancock family and first opened in 1914, has stood on the same site in Bridge Street, Warrington ever since.

In a statement, the owners said the popularity of online shopping, a rise in business rates and growing pressure from retail parks had led to their decision.

Director Christopher Hancock, whose grandfather opened the store, admitted he had "sleepless nights" wondering how to break the news to staff, but felt the business had reached "the end of the road".

News imageHANCOCK & WOOD Black and white shot of the Queen walking past Hancock and Wood in 1968. She is waving and walking in the middle of the road with a long crowd behind her.HANCOCK & WOOD
In a visit to Warrington in 1968, Queen Elizabeth II was seen walking past Hancock & Wood

Frederick Samuel Hancock, Christopher's grandfather, enlisted to fight in World War One just months after opening the store - and came back "in one piece" in 1918, his grandson said.

Warrington's oldest-running department store also survived the 1993 Warrington bombing, which saw two IRA devices explode in the town centre, killing two boys and injuring 56 others.

Hancock said: "My brother got knocked over in the second blast. He wasn't injured but was fairly shaken.

"I remember seeing the two little boys who were killed in the street - it sort of stays with me after all those years - it was a very sad time for the town."

News imagehancock & wood Black and white shot of the front of the shop, taken in the 1920s.hancock & wood
The shop pictured in the 1920s

Hancock said the high street is no longer what it used to be, while the business has struggled with rising operating costs ever since the coronavirus pandemic.

"Our costs have risen way above inflation and unfortunately, our turnover increase has been hard to come by," he said.

"Warrington is not what it used to be, it has certainly changed and not for the better

"We don't have any god-given right to exist here but with the growth of internet shopping and the strength of out-of-town retailing, life has become somewhat harder."

However, Hancock said it had been "a joy to serve" their many customers over the years.

News imagePatricia is grey haired and is smiling. She has glasses and is wearing a teal raincoat. She is stood inside the shop.
Life-long customer Patricia Hulme was sad to hear the news

Customers like Patricia Hulme, from Warrington suburb Padgate, who was saddened to hear news of the closure.

"It's one of my favourite shops. I came here as a baby, my mum always brought me here and I love this shop," she said.

"You get a nice meal in the cafe and they've always got some nice quality clothes."

News imageDiane smiles for the camera, taken in the shop. She has brown hair, with glasses pushed up over her head. She wears a polka dot top.
Assistant manager Diane Oxley said she was not shocked by the decision

Assistant manager Diane Oxley said she was not surprised by the closure.

"It's like an end of an era, there's going to be a lot of disappointed people," she said.

"But Bridge Street has definitely declined over the past few years so it wasn't a shock when we were told."

The department store will close its doors forthefinal time sometime next month, the shop confirmed.

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