Popular town store to close its doors after 40 years

Burgess Appliances. Picture: Steve Robards

Owners Mr and Mrs Houghton, who are coming up to their 70s, are ‘sad’ to be leaving the town but it ‘has come to that point for them to retire’, according to sales assistant Jeff Laurence.

Jeff, 43, of The Spinney in Burgess Hill, has worked at the appliance store in London Road for five years.

He said: “I am a little bit upset but it is one of those things. I really enjoyed myself there, they taught me the trade. And over the years I’ve met and dealt with customers from all types of life.

“The reputation of the company was there. Everybody knew of them and they always had a good name. Everyone in the area has had a washing machine fixed by us.

“Mr and Mrs Houghton want to thank all of their customers over the years and are very grateful for the support. It has just come to that point where they need to retire.

“They are so grateful to their customers – if it wasn’t for them they would not have been here for so long. And we hope everyone can find somewhere else to go.

“We have regular and loyal customers and obviously this is going to be difficult for them because they will have to go somewhere else now.”

Jeff said there is no set date for the closure, but he has already started looking for a new job. He said five members of staff will lose their jobs when it closes.

“It is sad as it is one of the longest-serving businesses in the town,” he said.

“But the large retailers don’t give the little man a chance these days. It is very hard to compete.”

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