Inside the Frome shop that's remained largely unchanged since 1922

  • Take a trip down memory lane at 101-year-old store Moore & Sons

A 'feed and seed' shop that has stood in Frome since 1922 is set to close its doors this week as the man who runs it is retiring.

Ernest Clothier took over Moore & Sons in 1969 and much of the store has remained largely untouched since it first opened.

Ernest and his family have been providing the agricultural community with "everything they need" for more than half a century.

"It was quite old-fashioned, even in those days," he said.

Ernest took over Moore & Sons in 1969

"The trade on the first few days, I was scratching my head because it was something new.

"I can remember I came with a suit on and Mr Moore said 'you'll make that dirty my boy before the day's out, you'll get hessian on your shoulders from carrying hessian bags', and I think I did wear it for a couple of days and then I wore something a bit rougher."

Taking over the shop was a family affair for Ernest and his wife Mary. They ran it together before she died in 2016.

Ernest ran the store with his wife Mary

He remembers commuting to the shop: "When the weather got bad in the winter sometimes I used to walk to Castle Cary station early in the morning to get to the train to Frome and the porter used to give me the gas lights to light the station.

"Then I would get off the train probably after 9am and used to run to the shop where they'd be people waiting in the snow."

Ernest is hanging up his coat after more than half a century at the shop
The shop has been providing agricultural supplies for the past century

Ernest says he has seen many changes in the town and the farming industry since he first started at the shop.

Speaking about his customers, he said: "They've been wonderful. The old ones have passed away but we often get people come in and say my dad, my grandad, my great grandad have been customers. 'We're Moore's forever.'

One of those loyal visitors is Roger Jackson. As a young boy his dad used to send him on the bus to get food for his hens.

Traditional scales are still used in the store

When asked about the shop's closure, he said: "I don't know what they're going to do, do you?

"You can get all your stuff here for agricultural and all the small horsey people can come here and get a bale of hay when they wanted it and didn't have to buy a big bale or nothing, so it's going to be missed."

Memorabilia including posters and tins from the store have now been taken down and will go to auction in Chippenham in April.

Posters that have been in the store for decades are set to be sold at auction

Ernest says he has had a lot of interest in the posters, adding: "They are quite expensive to buy and are originally around 70 or 80 years old and they've been in the dry so they'll be in good condition."

For Ernest's daughters, Karen Drudge and Tracey Charlton, the store has always been a part of their lives.

Karen said: "We've always known the shop, it's been our second home really. We came straight away as soon as mum had had us. We came to the shop and never really left until now.

"It's sad but as dad says the bags are getting a bit heavier now and he needs a rest now so I think he's ready.

"I think although dad thinks he's getting a rest with four grandchildren he's going to be more active than he thinks he is."