Opticians becomes the latest shop in Dewsbury town centre to close

Gill Opticians, on Market Place, is the latest shop to shut, following in the footsteps of Greggs and o2, both of whom have also decided to close their Dewsbury stores this month.

Owner Graham Phipps, who also owns Phipps Opticians in Heckmondwike, said: “Just the trading conditions are now so bad there that we had to make the decision it was better to bring everything to Heckondwike as I already own the building here.

"The town (Dewsbury) is so quiet now, the shop next to us has shut, Peacocks has shut.

"Once M&S had gone, since then it’s been in decline, and that’s 15, 20 years ago.”

Graham admits he closed the shop, which opened in 1947, with a heavy heart.

"But I have to say, as soon as I decided to close it, it was the opposite, I had a lightening of all the stresses, so I knew it was the right decision.”