ONE of the oldest shops in Barrow is shutting up shop.

Blackshaws Cycles started in 1911 selling bikes alongside homewares from its first premises on Cavendish Square.

The shop has been in the current owner’s family since the 1950’s.

Blackshaws moved to  Paxton Terrace in the 1960s and became the first walk-around store in the area. In 1965 the shop relocated again to Dalton Road before moving to its most recent spot on Duke Street in 1990.

The bike shop is shutting down because the owner of the business has decided to retire after a series of unfortunate events.

Manager Brian Edwards, who has been with the shop for over 30 years, said: “Blackshaws is going out with a bang as everything is now 50 per cent off. There is no deadline the case is simply that once the stock is gone, we’ll go.

“There are a few bikes left and it’s a real shame to see the shop go, I think it will be missed.”

At the height of its popularity, Blackshaws Cycles was a Raleigh five star dealer. It sold all different types of bikes for any track, terrain and skill, and over the years has sold bikes from many different suppliers. In the period since Covid it has mainly sold Probike and Python cycles.

The decision to shut up shop was mainly due to the downturn of trade in the town as the cost of living crisis has had an impact on the amount of footfall throughout the town centre.

A seasonal shower is also to blame as being flooded out of the shop did not help when pipes in the residence above the shop burst in the week before Christmas.

The flood led Blackshaws to move into the mall and they are currently still situated in Barrow Market Hall next to Mobile Man as they clear the last of the stock.

Blackshaws would like to thank all of its customers for coming in over the years.