Time to pack up and tobac-go!
AN Ely tobacconist is to close tomorrow (Friday) after 33 years in the city. Marshall s in St Mary s Street – also known as The Pipe Shop – is to close after owners Paul and Glyn Fynes recently received permission to spend their retirement in New Zealand.
AN Ely tobacconist is to close tomorrow (Friday) after 33 years in the city.
Marshall's in St Mary's Street - also known as The Pipe Shop - is to close after owners Paul and Glyn Fynes recently received permission to spend their retirement in New Zealand.
Mr Fynes, 63, took over the business from his parents 28 years ago after a career in the Royal Air Force, but he said that demand for independent tobacconists has declined dramatically in recent years.
"Tobacco's not the right thing to be in, nowadays," he said.
"What with smuggling, people going abroad for tobacco and supermarkets."
He said that anti-smoking legislation had also affected trade.
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Mr Fynes said the city had changed since he first came to the shop.
"A lot of independent shops have closed down and there's been a big increase in traffic," he said.
"You can't help it - the only independents that survive are niche shops."
The couple hope to move to New Zealand in June, where they will settle near Wellington.
The closure of Marshall's follows that of The Flower Bowl in Market Street last weekend, and the imminent closure of clothing store QS, also in Market Street.
Mr Fynes said he thinks his shop will not be used as retail space.
n Pictured left are Glyn and Paul Fynes, who are leaving behind their tobacconist shop for a new life in New Zealand.
Photo: HELEN SOUTH 9294
