End of an era for school clothes store

A Shropshire store which has provided school clothing for generations of people across the county is set to close its doors. Ben Bentley looks back at 70 years of history at Hares in Shrewsbury

"Where am I going to get tights like this from now?" asks mother Tessa Pinches.

As she snaps up last bits of school uniform for one of her four children - all of whom are kitted out by traditional school outfitters Hares of Shrewsbury where, before that, she too was supplied with her school uniform - it soon becomes clear that this is a familiar story.

Hares Ltd has become an institution and parents from all over Shropshire have been bringing their children here for more than 70 years.

The same cabinets featuring rows upon rows of wooden drawers - glass-fronted to reveal school ties, socks and tights - have been in operation all that time, supplying generation after generation with uniforms.

The closure of the shop - one of the county's last remaining traditional uniform outfitters - at the end of this month has been met with equal measures of regret and mild panic; customers hearing the news all have an "I remember when" story, quickly followed by "And where am I going to get a satchel for little Johnny now?"

News of the closure, due to the retirement of current owner Tina Richards, appeared in the Shropshire Star several weeks ago.

"The phone was ringing the next day with people wanting to buy the wooden drawers," says Tina.

"I remember my mum bringing me to the shop," continues Tessa from Bushmore, "and I remember the glass counters. And the brown and cream uniform for Church Stretton School.

"If you wanted anything, you could get it here. Now I bring my children here - it's tradition. And my sister comes here from Ludlow with her son."

The shop opened in 1937 and was originally in Market Street, next to the Music Hall. Run by Mr and Mrs Hare, it is thought that most of the uniforms were made on the premises.

When current owner Tina Roberts took over the business 28 years ago she remembers: "We found button holers and old sewing machines in the cellar where they used to make the garments."

Hares was later run by their son, Raymond Hare, who sold the business to Tina and Adrian Richards who maintained the principle of a family business with a personal touch.

Then on a freezing cold February night in 1985 a blaze ripped through the block of shops occupied by Hares, Lloyds bank and the Music Hall.

However, within three weeks Hares was up and running again at premises around the corner in High Street. The Richards moved the operation to its current location in Milk Street in 2003 due to a huge rise in business rates at its previous premises.

Brisk trade

Despite availability of cheap uniforms from supermarket giants, trade remains brisk at Hares and between selling garments, Tina continues: "I'm selling to second generation customers now. When we started in Market Street we were selling to the children who have now become adults with their own children and who come here.

"You get to know the customers and people have been very loyal. We have had lots of people coming in saying how sorry they are to hear we are going and what good memories they have of Hares."

Indeed, memories of walking into a traditional school uniform outfitters are special. Any parent will know, the sight of your child in school uniform for the first time is one of life's great turning points.

It is normal for the occasion to be greeted with a feeling of intense pride followed by a sensation of weak knees and great big tears.

"We have seen a few tears shed by parents and grandparents as children come out of the dressing room in their uniforms," says Tina. "It's like they are losing their little babies."

Down the years Tina has seen many changes in uniform styles.

"They were a lot more formal once, with the traditional blazer and so on, although some schools do still have the blazer, but there are a lot more sweatshirts now.

"And there has been a change in the materials used in the uniforms, and a lot of trousers and skirts contain lycra.

"Modern mother does not want to spend all day ironing but some won't have anything other than 100 per cent cotton."

And she adds: "We used to sell a lot of caps but now it's hardly any."

Changes have occurred not only in uniform styles. The shape of children - that's a growing trend too.

"We have seen the size of children change - they are getting bigger," Tina explains.

And so it was that Hares introduced a "sturdy" range.

Today the shop still sells uniforms for 15 schools around the county.

It also supplies outfits for scouts, brownies and girl guides. It is one of the only suppliers that sells formal suits for children.

Overseas

And with reputable Shropshire boarding schools attracting pupils from around the globe, Hares Ltd has become the first port of call for overseas parents sending their kids here.

"We even had a phone call from the Turkish Embassy four or five years ago, from someone sending their daughter to school here and they wanted a uniform delivered to the school ready," adds Tina with pride.

Making her last few purchases before the closure is Shrewsbury grandmother Gwen Sidaway. Where once she brought her children for school uniforms, she now brings her grandchildren.

With several jumpers of various size in her hand, she says: "I'm buying for this year and next year now. When I heard the shop was closing I thought I'd better stock up."