One of town's oldest shops closes after 142 years

One of the best-known businesses in a town has closed after 142 years in the same location.

Spanton's of Whitby opened in 1883 as a gentleman's outfitters on Flowergate, and was run by founder Robert Spanton's family until 1974.

It was then bought by Bob Barleycorn, whose daughter ran it until 2018. The shop also specialised in hats and hosiery.

Current owner Karen Noble, who bought the business in 2019 and retained the historic name, announced its closure at the end of December due to her retirement.

Under her tenure, Spanton 1883 mainly sold women's clothing but remained in the same Grade II-listed premises it had occupied since Robert Spanton's day.

Ms Noble wrote: "It is the end of an era. It was sad to empty the shop out today, it's probably the only time it's been empty since 1883."

According to estate agents Hendersons, the building has an Art Deco black and glass frontage and an original oak doorway that was added in 1934. The property dates back to 1811.

A statement from Hendersons said: "Ideally the current owner would like to sell to someone who shares a common interest in its treasured provenance and intends to keep the business going in its current direction."

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.