Sadness as long established shoe retailer is poised to leave Peterborough

James North outside the North Shoes shop in Bourne.

North Shoes, based in Westgate, will close in March with the business transferring to Oundle.

It is not clear yet what type of retailer will move into the unit that has been a shoe shop for the last 30 years.

It was previously known as Reynolds and then became Footprint before North Shoes moved in.

Bosses say five members of staff will transfer to North Shoes' other shops in Stamford, Oundle and Bourne but two part-time staff will be made redundant.

James North, the fifth generation at the helm of the family-owned North Shoes, said: "I am sad that we are leaving Peterborough.

"We have been here for eight, mostly successful, years.

"But we have seen a fall in footfall and our landlord is not interested in reducing the rent."

Mr North said he was in the process of transferring the business and its customer across to its store in Market Place, Oundle.

He said: "I feel the demographic in Peterboorugh is now not quite right for us.

"We do offer a premium product and I feel customers elsewhere have more disposable money.

"I think the move will really suit us."

North Shoes, which was founded 141 years ago in Bourne and has stores in Stamford, Bourne, Cambridge and Oundle.

Its Peterborough store will shut on March 10.

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