Bognor workers will lose jobs this month

Squires Model and Craft Tools will shut its doors on London Road for the final time on December 31.

The decision by owner Roger Lewis will see the 18 full and part-time workers made redundant.

One of its employees, who asked not to be named, said: “We all feel pretty gutted, to be honest, about losing our jobs.

“It’s come as quite a shock. We are hoping something will happen and someone will come in to save the company.

“Business is booming. Trade in the shop has dipped slightly but mail order and exhibitions business is still going strong. Our customers are very upset about the closure. Most of them can’t believe it.”

The firm is a leading British supplier of items for modellers and knitting and sewing fans.

Business in its shop opposite the town’s library was supplemented by a comprehensive mail order business and visits to exhibitions around the country.

Squires’ large selection of small scale specialist articles includes paints, coils of wire, files, hacksaws, rulers and pieces of wood and plastic.

One customer, railway modeller John Greig, said: “I’ve been going there for about ten years and took orders from Wittering and District Railway Circle.

“Squires is really the only shop in the country which sells the items it does. The prices are so reasonable and it has a very good mail order business. Its catalogue is about threequarters of an inch thick.”

Mr Lewis was unavailable to comment.