God. I walked past Siddalls yesterday and saw the "Closing Down" signs plastered across their windows. My heart sank a little. Another one bites the dust.
The family-run shoe shop on St Stephens Street has been fitting Norwich feet for over two decades, but come September, they'll be hanging up their shoe horns for good. After 21 years of helping people like my mum find comfortable footwear (she swears by their arch support), they're shutting up shop for good.
I remember buying my first "proper" work shoes there back in 2008. The elderly lady who served me spent nearly 40 minutes making sure they fit perfectly. Where else do you get that kinda service these days?
The Debenhams Effect: More Than Just Empty Windows
It's no coincidence this is happening now. When Debenhams collapsed in 2021, it left a gaping hole opposite Siddalls. That massive department store used to pull in hundreds of shoppers who'd then wander across to the smaller shops nearby. Now? The street feels like a ghost at a family reunion - technically present but nobody's engaging with it.
I spoke with a shop assistant yesterday who looked absolutely gutted. "We've seen this coming since Debenhams left, but it's still hard to accept," she told me while rearranging a display of half-price loafers.
The managing director, Sean Siddall himself, confirmed what we all suspected - the lease expires in September and they're not renewing. He didn't mince words about the challenges: "Since Covid, retailing in Norwich has been more difficult and then there was also teh government's national insurance increase for businesses. We are absolutely gutted to do this but it's just one of those things."
Fancy Some Bargain Shoes?
If there's any silver lining to this retail cloud, it's the closing down sale they're running. Everything must go! They're slashing prices with 50% off old stock and 15% off new items.
I popped in this morning (couldn't help myself) and walked out with two pairs of shoes I definitely didn't need. My partner's gonna kill me when he sees the bags... but hey, supporting local business in its final days feels like the right thing to do.
When Staff Become Family
Toni Uttling, who manages the Norwich branch, has been there over 10 years. You can hear the emotion in her voice when she talks about her team.
"It was a bit of a shock. Customers have come in and said how sad they are. It's heart breaking for them because they've relied on us for so long," she explained while trying not to get visibly upset.
What really got me was when she mentioned a colleague who retired last year: "She taught me everything I needed to know. The staff have been brilliant. Our team is very hardworking and we are all quite proud of the shop. We've all wanted it to do well."
Ugh. That hit hard.
Is Anyone Actually Shopping on High Streets Anymore?
Listen. I'm as guilty as anyone. I've ordered shoes online at midnight while watching Netflix. But there's something deeply sad about watching these personal service shops disappear one by one.
A customer standing next to me at the sale rack yesterday literally said she was "devastated" about the closure. "Where am I supposed to get properly fitted shoes now?" she asked nobody in particular.
The good news (if you can call it that) is that Siddalls' main store in Holt will stay open. The family business has been going for 89 years - founded back when people actually expected shoes to last more than a season.
The Domino Effect Nobody Wants to Talk About
Siddalls isn't alone in this retail nightmare. Over in Huddersfield, a 17-year-old named Stephen Mallalieu just closed Imperial Cards after trying to make a go of it. Poor kid. Imagine starting a business at that age only to have the high street collapse around you.
And Poundland? Up to 200 stores potentially closing as their parent company looks to sell them off by September 2025.
I spent £4K on a retail management course back in 2016. What a waste that turned out to be. Should've studied something future-proof... like AI programming or professional Netflix watching.
If you're feeling nostalgic or just need some quality footwear at decent prices, Siddalls of Norfolk will be open until the end of September. After that, it'll be just another empty shopfront on a street that's increasingly full of them.
I might go back next week. Just to say thanks.
Frequently Asked Questions
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