Overview

• Established in the 1860s, WH Mogford & Son has been a fixture on Westbury-on-Trym High Street for over 160 years.
• Paul Gillam, who joined the store in 1995 and took ownership in 2004, announced the decision on June 14.
• The shop earned a reputation as an “Aladdin’s cave” of DIY, gardening and pet supplies by selling items down to single nails or screws.
• Gillam cited declining footfall, steep stock and utility charges and the building’s urgent repair needs as reasons for the closure.
• Industry bodies such as the British Retail Consortium forecast significant job losses across the sector, highlighting the wider pressures on traditional retailers.