{"id":6941,"date":"2014-02-04T14:04:00","date_gmt":"2014-02-04T14:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amateurphotographer.co.uk\/uncategorized\/one-of-worlds-oldest-camera-shops-shuts-down-6941"},"modified":"2014-09-02T12:41:05","modified_gmt":"2014-09-02T11:41:05","slug":"one-of-worlds-oldest-camera-shops-shuts-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/latest\/photo-news\/one-of-worlds-oldest-camera-shops-shuts-down\/","title":{"rendered":"One of world’s oldest camera shops shuts down"},"content":{"rendered":"

GL Robertson, a family-run store in Lancaster, has shut down following the retirement of its owner Reg Stoddon after more than 50 years.<\/p>\n

The family has decided not to continue the business.<\/p>\n

The store – which counted the comedian Eric Morecambe among its high-profile customers – originally traded under the name Vince & Co, a pharmacy supplying chemicals to photographers with roots dating back to 1796 – before the dawn of photography.<\/p>\n

Among its more recent customers was Scott Lord who sees the closure of \u2018Robertsons’ as a \u2018perhaps a sad reflection of the changing face of business away from local shops towards online shopping – cheaper but no personal touch’.<\/p>\n

However, Reg – who joined as an apprentice in March 1962 and also worked as a photographer – said it was simply a matter of his retirement.<\/p>\n

\u2018It has been my life and my passion and I have enjoyed every minute, but it has dominated my family life,’ he told AP.<\/p>\n

The shop took its name from a former Vince & Co employee, Alexander Robertson, whose family took over in the 1920s.<\/p>\n

\n Eric Morecambe used to come in<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n

The Robertson family used their name when Vince & Co dropped the pharmaceutical side of the business in the 1960s, said Reg.<\/p>\n

Reg, who retired on 31 January, took over the business in 1974 – a career that took him all over the world on visits to camera factories and exhibitions. <\/p>\n

\u2018Eric Morecambe used to come into my shop when he visited his parents in Morecambe’.<\/p>\n

Other clients included \u2018one of the USA’s biggest serial killers’.<\/p>\n

On his retirement, Reg added: \u2018I am extremely fortunate to have a very understanding wife who has always encouraged me and backed me to the hilt. Now it is payback time – to give her something back.’<\/p>\n

One of Reg’s sons, Matthew, gave no hint at the shop’s impending closure when he posted a message on the forum of US-based website dpreview<\/a> last year.<\/p>\n

On 18 January 2013, Matt Stoddon wrote: \u2018I think I can speak on behalf of my sisters and my brother in saying that we’re all very fortunate to have grown up in and around a photographic business – we’ve all taken an interest since an early age and several of us studied photography at school as a result.’<\/p>\n

In a message on its website<\/a>, GL Robertson tells its customers: \u2018Thank you to all of our wonderful customers past and present for their cards, gifts and wishes of goodwill.<\/p>\n

\u2018We have been overwhelmed by the kindness and wish you all of the best for the future.’<\/p>\n

The shop had been at its current address on Brock Street since 1989.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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