Wednesday 4 June 2014

W. Robinson's Bookstore in Newcastle's Grainger Market Closes after 130 Years

Grainger Market book store W Robinson's closes after 130 years

By Brian Daniel
3 June 2014

A book store in Newcastle city centre which opened in 1881 has closed down.

W Robinson’s book store, in the Grainger Market, is said to have gone into liquidation, bringing to an end more than 130 years of trading.

The store, described as Newcastle’s largest independent book shop, sold bargain and second hand items and at one stage stocked over 30,000.

It originally opened in one area of the Grainger Market before moving to its present site a few years later.

The store is thought to have been owned by Michael Cornish, with the business having passed down through previous generations of his family.

Shutters were down at the store yesterday with a note placed on them saying “closed.”

Neighbouring traders at the market said it closed, without warning, on Wednesday or Thursday last week.

A member of staff at Millennium Dance, who asked not to be named, said he had put the note on the shutters after numerous people came into his shop asking about Robinson’s.

He said the rise of new technologies may have contributed to the demise of the store.

The employee said: “It is the end of an era. The Kindle and tablets have destroyed many a good business. That is life I suppose.

“They are the original shutters, the original fascia.

“It is a shame because there has been a lot of people coming over here and asking what is happening.”

Zahida Haq, of neighbouring Ruffels clothes store, said the book shop had been there throughout her 40 years in the market.

“The dad and the grandad and that is the son here now. It is the three generations.”

Grainger Market is owned and managed by Newcastle City Council.

A spokesman yesterday said the authority had been informed that the business had gone into liquidation and said he believed support would be being provided to the owners.

“We are in the process of taking back the shop unit at the moment.”

The Chronicle was unable to contact Mr Cornish.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/grainger-market-book-store-w-7206836

From The London Gazette:

Resolutions for Winding-up
W. ROBINSON (NEWCASTLE) LIMITED

(Company Number 00396602 )

Registered office: Northpoint, 118 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6SQ

Principal trading address: 49-53 Grainger Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5QQ

At a General Meeting of the Members of the above-named Company, duly convened, and held at 118 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6SQ on 23 May 2014 the following Resolutions were duly passed, as a Special Resolution and as an Ordinary resolution:-

“That the Company be wound up voluntarily, and that Greg Whitehead, of Northpoint, 118 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6SQ, (IP No 8827) be and he is hereby appointed Liquidator for the purposes of such winding-up.”

Further details contact: Greg Whitehead, Tel: 0191 211 1452.

M Cornish, Director

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1024187&page=45

According to other information on the above forum, Stan Laurel's niece used to work there until recently.

1 comment:

  1. Stan's niece did work there her name Audrey (no second name :( )

    ReplyDelete