Twenty-five years in the DIY business

A DIY shop staffed by three generations of the same family is set to close down after 25 years in the business.

Award-winning Lindley’s DIY Store will open for the last time on May 21 after a quarter of a century trading on Sagar Street in Castleford.

Bob Lindley, who runs the store, said: “I’m retiring. It will be just one week short of 25 years when we close.

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“I would like to thank our customers. We wouldn’t have survived without them so a big, big thank you to everybody who has supported us over the last 25 years.”

Lindley’s has been selling DIY and gardening goods since opening on June 6, 1991.

Mr Lindley, 68 and originally from Hemsworth, first started selling DIY products on a stall on Castleford Market in 1986 after the former British Ropes factory in Wakefield closed.

He moved to Sagar Street when the town’s new market opened.

He runs the shop with his wife Jean, 64, daughter Andrea, 46, and grandson Ashley, 17, who works on Saturdays.

Mr Lindley said: “We are very much a family concern.

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“We have made a lot of friends in Castleford over the years.”

In 2014 the shop was voted the 16th best DIY store in the UK in an Alliance and Leicester poll - beating DIY giant Wickes.

As well beating Wickes in the top 20 poll, Lindley’s also came just four places below Homebase.

Mr Lindley, who is running a half-price sale ahead of the store’s last day of trading, said: “That was totally unexpected for us.

“We were very proud of that.”

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But a decline in town centre shopping had affected the business after people were drawn to out-of-town shopping centres.

Mr Lindley, who is a member of Castleford Business Forum, said: “It’s been good for many years but we have seen a steady decline over the last seven years.

“I think it’s because everything is going out of town and pulling people from town centres.

“Not so many people shop in town centres these days.”

Mr Lindley said he was looking forward to spending more time travelling during his retirement.

He added: “I’ve had a caravan for the last six years but only had three weeks holiday in it.

“I’m going to be doing a lot more caravanning.”

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