Almost 300 years of history gone: Coventry's oldest family business shuts its doors for good

By HOAR Team 14 May, 2025 6 mins read 114 Views

I drove past Astleys yesterday. The windows were already papered over. Felt like seeing an old friend's house emptied out after they died.

After an absolutely staggering 295 years in business, one of Coventry's oldest family-owned companies has finally thrown in the towel. The directors' explanation? Modern business realities have become "increasingly difficult to swallow." God, that's putting it mildly.

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When even history can't pay teh bills

Established way back in 1730 (just think about that for a second—before America was even a country!), Astleys specialized in cleaning supplies, janitorial products, and workwear that locals swore by. My dad used to drag me there on Saturday mornings in the 90s to buy his work clothes. I'd whine the entire time, bored out of my skull while he chatted with the staff like they were old friends. Now I wish I'd paid more attention.

The company entered what they're calling "solvent liquidation" this week. In normal-person speak, that means they're shutting down properly—paying their staff, settling accounts with suppliers, and walking away with their dignity intact rather than going bust.

Covid killed more than just people

Turns out the pandemic was the beginning of the end. Shopping habits changed dramatically, and people who once popped into physical stores started clicking "buy now" buttons instead. I'm guilty of this myself... ordered cleaning supplies from Amazon just last week without even thinking about it.

Rising operational costs didn't help either. And here's the real kicker—suppliers started focusing on "fewer, larger customers" (read: massive chains) while giving independent retailers like Astleys the cold shoulder. How's a 295-year-old family business supposed to compete with that?

What the locals are saying

Devastated, mostly.

One customer commented online that "Astley's was a really good supplier and good prices. Shame this goes too." That's British understatement for you. Another review I spotted praised their "knowledgeable staff" and "great service"—exactly the things that kept them going for nearly three centuries.

I texted my uncle (who worked in maintenance for 40+ years) about the closure, and his response: "That's where I got my first proper work boots in 1978. Cost me £18 which was a fortune back then. Lasted 12 years though."

The directors' final bow

Brothers David and Jonathan, the current directors, released a statement that honestly made me a bit emotional. "It is with great sadness that the directors of the business have taken the decision to end our relationship with thousands of wonderful customers," they wrote. "However, it is time to make this decision whilst we are in the position to be able to withdraw with honour held."

They added something that stuck with me: "We have heard that Astleys is part of Coventry, and indeed, after 295 years of employing Coventrians, serving Coventry businesses and paying our taxes and dues, we also feel that sentiment." And then, with what I imagine was a heavy sigh: "If only history paid the bills."

Another one bites the dust...

Astleys isn't alone in this depressing trend. Family-owned businesses are dropping like flies across the UK. A historic DIY shop in Yorkshire recently closed its doors, along with a beloved newsagent in Ely. Each one takes a little piece of local character with it.

I walked through Coventry city centre last weekend and counted seven empty storefronts that used to be independent businesses. Seven! And that was just on one street. Each one replaced by either nothing at all or another soulless chain store selling the same stuff you can get anywhere else.

Look, I'm not usually one for nostalgia—progress happens, things change, whatever. But when a business that survived the Industrial Revolution, two World Wars, and the entire rise and fall of the British Empire finally gives up in 2025... that feels like something worth mourning.

RIP Astleys. Coventry won't be quite the same without you.

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