WESTBURY butchers C. Linham has closed its doors for good after over 50 years’ service in the town. The store on Maristow Street has shut down due to falling customer numbers, but will continue to offer a delivery service to Westbury.
The family butcher, established in 1905, has had shops in both Westbury and Warminster since the mid-1980s, run by Chris Linham and his father, Cyril, until the latter’s retirement in 2000. Following the closure of the Westbury shop, Chris will be focusing his efforts on the Warminster branch and a delivery service.
Chris said, “We had to close simply because there’s not enough trade in Westbury. I supported the business when numbers fell in the recession, and I’ve had to do so ever since. The numbers have never come back up to what they were, and I couldn’t go on holding up the shop rather than it bringing in a profit.
“That end of town was already quiet, but changes to the Market Place, the parking charges, and the new Aldi were the last nail in the coffin. The town has been fragmented by the changes and has lost its character; it looks nice but it ruined our trade.
“We had a good customer base in Westbury and did well on Saturdays, but the business couldn’t survive on a single day’s profits. I hope to keep serving our loyal Westbury customers – in the Warminster shop if they can travel here, or by delivery if they can’t.”
C. Linham Traditional Butchers can now be found at 1a Chinns Court, Warminster, or contacted on 01985 846891.
Below: The Maristow Street shop has ceased trading.
