DVD shop owner vows to be 'last man standing'

Perched on the end of a row of terraces in a small town is one of the last DVD rental shops in the UK.

In 2022, there were thought to be as few as 10 remaining.

For 43 years Steve Webber has been behind the desk of Northgate Video, but how has he kept going amid the demise of chain retailers like Blockbuster and the rise of streaming services?

Sitting on the corner of Northgate Street in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, it is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shop.

But for those who head inside, it is like stepping back in time as customers are greeted by walls of shelves packed with thousands of DVDs for sale and rent. And a movie is always playing on a TV by the window.

Mr Webber, 72, says while he has some regulars, he gets passing trade from people intrigued by the idea a video or DVD rental shop still exists.

"It's just nice to see people come in and say, 'Oh wow, I didn't realise places like this existed'," he said.

"I had a lad come in months ago, a real film buff, and he was gobsmacked by it."

"Back in the early days it was just VHS tapes, which cost me £50 or £60."

He would then rent them out for £2 a night, rising to about £2.50 in the early 2000s.

One thing never changed though, the most popular rentals were always new releases or horror films - "anything not available on TV".

The most popular items over the years have included the lesser-known Zombie Flesh Eaters alongside hits like Apocalypse Now, Mad Max, Life of Brian and Star Trek.

"I like films but I wouldn't class myself as a film buff but of course, when you're then in business it's a case of necessity, you've got to know a lot about most things," he said.

Videos themselves no longer make up part of the business but Mr Webber said he kept the name as "it's what everyone knows".

He still offers DVD rentals but said the market was "pretty much non-existent" with the focus now on sales.

"I've got a few regulars come in every week and a few come in randomly every month or so, or parents bringing in kids for special occasions.

"But it's mainly sales, I've got 2,000 to 3,000 ex-rentals up for sale for £1 a time and I pride myself on being able to get pretty much anything anyone wants.

"I've got enough contacts in the trade and I get people come in randomly, there's not much I can't get."

"It's all sorts. I've got a couple of fellows who come in every week and order things... they're all random, really old, anything from 1950s to present day," he added.

While the demise of chain retailers like Blockbuster a decade ago might have been a harbinger of doom for some stores, Mr Webber said it was great for business.

"Blockbuster came and went. When it went, my turnover increased tenfold, probably," he said.

However, the rise of platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime has hit the business harder, especially in the last 12-18 months, with the rise of films being produced by the streaming giants.

"It's got to the stage now a new film will come out on Netflix and Amazon Prime before it actually comes out on DVD.

"Back in the day we always had a six-month window before it came out but now it's an impossible situation.

"Now they do things principally for Netflix or Amazon and then they come out on DVD," he said.

Mr Webber said the business was no longer about making big profits and more about helping people.

Customers were typically "the older person that doesn't do online shopping".

He said the interaction with people kept him going, and being able to help them source material.

"If I relied only on this, I'd close tomorrow," he said.

"It's the interaction. I mean, I have got the regulars that come in.

"They like to come in for a chat and we laugh and joke, it's just still meeting people, talking to people and there's nothing better than finding something people have looked for over months and months and they really appreciate it.

"It makes it worthwhile. Everyone who comes in, I know or get to know," he added.

Mr Webber said, although trade had slowed down, he had never put a definitive date on when to shut up shop.

"I keep saying I'll close at the end of the year, then the end of the financial year.

"Then something will happen, it will pick up again."

He said he would keep going for as long as people were still enjoying it.

"To put it bluntly, the money I make out of this is what they call my beer money.

"Unless streaming services all go down or the world goes to pot, then I shall still be here. I shall be the last man standing," he said.

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