Much-loved shop is set to close in Harborough after 65 years

A much-loved shop is set to close in Market Harborough after 65 years.

RD Jeacock & Sons Ltd on Coventry Road was due to shut its doors for the last time at the end of November.

But the popular electrical and digital goods store will now close on Wednesday (November 4) before the lockdown is imposed before briefly re-opening again to sell off unsold stock.

Richard Jeacock, 63, who runs the well-known town centre shop with his brother Robert, 66, said: “It’s sad in a way that we are closing the shop but we’ll still be very much running our electrical contracting side of the business.

“Our dad Derek set our shop up way back in 1955.

“We’ve had a fantastic time here since.

“We’d like to think that we have done Market Harborough proud over the years just as the people here have done us proud.”

Market Harborough born and bred, Richard said he had worked in the store since leaving school at 16.

“I’ve worked here more or less all my life and I’ve loved it.

“The thought of leaving here has never even crossed my mind.

“It’s been a real family enterprise working alongside my dad, who trained as an electrician, and brother Robert and it’s been amazing,” said the father-of-two, who’s sold thousands of TVs, video cassette recorders, Hifi equipment, toasters, kettles and all small electrical appliances over almost six decades.

“We have built up a big army of loyal customers over the decades.

“We’ve looked after them well and they’ve kept coming back.

“We still have customers who first came in when Dad started out 65 years ago!”

Richard said the shattering worldwide Covid-19 pandemic has definitely made it tougher for them to flourish.

“It’s becoming harder and harder to get hold of good quality stock.

“We have always sold top class Panasonic televisions.

“But for what ever reason shipments aren’t coming through as they used to,” he said.

“And we are not going to settle for selling inferior second or third rate makes.

“I’d have stopped in the shop at 65 anyway so I’ll just get over the line a bit quicker.

“But both me and Robert will still be very much involved in running our thriving electrical contracting business.

“We do commercial, domestic and private work as well as a fair number of local country estates.

“We were going to close our doors at the end of November.

“But now we’ll have to shut on Wednesday ahead of the second lockdown and re-open for three to four weeks when we can to sell off our remaining stock.

“I’d like once again to thank all of our brilliant customers and look forward to continuing to work with our many customers on the electrical contracting side.”

You can check out Jeacocks and maybe snap up an absolute bargain on their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/R.D.Jeacocks/