BARNARD Castle’s only cobbler is preparing to put away his tools for the last time as he puts his business up for sale. Adrian Andrews has run Star Cobblers for the past 22 years and is looking forward to a retirement full of gardening, cycling and travel.
The former manager at Maxwell’s Hardware bought the business in September 2003 from previous owner David Haywood.
Mr Andrews said: “When I bought it he had been here 53 years. It was amazing, he started when he was 16. I remember he said he started in 1966. Well. I said ‘that was when we won the world cup, we might win again before I leave’… And we didn’t.”
The shop was started at the same site by a Mr Hancock shortly after the Second World War and was initially known as Star Footwear Repairs.
When Mr Andrews took over running the business he introduced a key-cutting service having learned the trade while at Maxwells. He also changed the name to Star Cobblers.
He said: “I just wanted to do something different and I saw a big learning opportunity here. I knew I wanted to expand the business. He didn’t sell anywhere near what we have got and what we do now.
“He just did repairs, he didn’t do keys, he didn’t do knives, tool sharpening as well as the Internet.”
The website, which was launched in 2005, proved to be a winner and work began coming in from all over the country. About 40 per cent of work now comes via the internet.
Mr Andrews said: “We are working for three other companies doing their work, which they used to send abroad to Italy and Germany, but once we came out of Europe it became too expensive.”
Brands that contract work to Star Cobblers include Meindel, Lake Cycling and Zebra Products.
A sizeable amount of work comes in the form of riding boots and includes sole repairs, zip replacement and alterations.
The cobbler said: “It is a bit more technical doing lady’s dress boots – we do receive boots from London, Ireland, the Outer Hebrides – we do boots from anywhere, we have even had some from France.
“They know when they send stuff here they are going to get a proper job done. They tell us all the time they know the job will be done correctly.
“Good shoes are worth repairing. Certainly, we think it is going to go full circle, where people are more for the environment and repairing things rather than just the throw-away society.
“We will mend anything, we have got that sort of attitude.”
The quality of the work done by Mr Andrews and his assistant Hannah is reflected in the generosity of his customers who have brought gifts in gratitude ranging from trout and red wine to cakes and Easter eggs.
He added that once sold, it is the people he has met through the shop that he will miss most.
Mr Andrews said: “Barney is such a nice place. I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. I just love it. You can’t walk down the high street without someone having a chat.”
The business is on sale through Carvers Commercial and Mr Andrews said he will stay on to guide the new owner until they are able to go it alone. They will also have the support of the assistant who will come as part of the going concern.
Mr Andrews said: “You can train and you can learn – I started at 37. I will be here to give every bit of support to take the business forward. It will be one-to-one training and do as much as what they need to take the reins.”
