Couple decide antiques business must become a thing of their past (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Couple decide antiques business must become a thing of their past

3:10pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Romsey

The owners of Romsey’s last surviving antiques business are retiring and selling up after 32 years in the trade.

Mike Gay, of Bells Antiques, said it was Old Father Time rather than the economy which was the key factor in the decision to shut up shop.

“We could go on for many more years, but we want to do other things while we still can,” said Mike, 65.

He and his wife, Berni, have been semi-retired for eight years and have divided their time between Romsey, where they have a home in Palmerston Street and their second house in France.

“We’ve even enjoyed our time in business and I’m sure that we’ll miss it,” he said.

The couple opened the shop in the 1980s when they can remember a letter in the Advertiser from readers complaining that Romsey had “ too many antiques shops and too many tourists”.

Now they are the last antique shop left.

Mike said “It’s sad to see Romsey lose a shop like this. The town needs this kind of business to retain interest.”

The couple will continue to live in Romsey, a town they both love. Mike’s grandfather first moved here to become a Strong’s cooper. His father was also an apprentice cooper before he abandoned barrels for a career in the law with Footners.