END OF AN ERA
Sad farewell after 200 years of supplying stationery
One of the oldest shops in Bath which has traded for more than two centuries at the same location is closing. Woods The Stationers has been on the corner of Old Bond Street in the city centre for around 220 years. Its management has announced it will close this month, saying “all good things must come to an end”. Husband-and-wife owners John Sieberhagen and Rachel Shutter praised their “exceptionally loyal, knowledgeable and always humorously entertaining” staff. They said customers regularly pretended to browse just to hear their conversations. This is the heartfelt statement from the Woods team: “The saying ‘all good things must come to an end’ has never been truer. “It is with a heavy heart that the staff and management announce the sad closure of Woods The Stationers Ltd, the long established family owned independent stalwart of the Bath city centre. “The sign on the back of the door will flip from ‘open’ to ‘closed’ for the last time on March 22, 2019. “We have been trading for well over 220 years at the same central city location providing everything from 10p golf pencils to £500 handmade individually numbered sterling silver ‘Yard-o-led’ pens and everything else inbetween. “As part of the wider community, we loved all our customers - the elder generation loved our sense of old worldliness and reassuring stability and the young loved our quirky character. “The shop and our wonderful staff provided an oasis of friendship and good old fashioned customer service. “Through the ages, the staff at Woods came to be viewed by our customers as exceptionally loyal, knowledgeable and always humorously entertaining. “Customers often found themselves lingering and loitering, happy to browse within earshot of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff expounding on all things topical, philosophical, political and newsworthy - we had a solution to almost everything, even Brexit! “WTS will no doubt be sorely missed, not simply because it rep- resents the demise of the last proper old fashioned stationer in Bath, but because of the wider historical context. “Woods represents a distinct link to the past and a look to the future, the shop will be sorely missed by locals, visitors and staff alike but even more pertinently, by the city of Bath itself.” Customers have been giving their reaction to the closure. Dr Joanna Nadin said: “I’ve written more than 50 children’s books, including the Bafta-winning Joe All Alone, three adult novels and my PHD on stationery from Woods. “No one else sells the perfect paper or pens, and with such excellent service. I’m genuinely sad to hear this news.” Lyn Jones wrote on the Bath Live Facebook page: “Remember this shop so well, and haven’t lived in Bath since 1990, what a shame.” Sarah Seynhaeve said: “I bought my first fountain pen here and many other things over the years. Sad news.” “I love Woods get my diary there every year!!! Xx gutted” - Abby Dunn “No!!! my mum used to get her stationery there when she went to school and that was over 70 years ago. It’s a shame. She always comments on Woods when we go to Bath.” - Rebecca Lifely “I worked here as a pen consultant for a few years, great memories. Xx” - Kelly Bryson “Omg! I went there nearly every week when I worked in Bath!! Sad sad news x” - Julie Young