A TAVISTOCK shoe repair business spanning 25 years is to close on Saturday, September 5 — marking the end of an era for its owner.

Teresa Luxton built her business Polly Perkins when she was just 26 from the ground up and became an instant household name in the local area.

Teresa Perkins (as she was known then) opened the store on Monday, September 4, 1995 at no 5 Pepper Street, Tavistock and will close the shop’s doors for one final time exactly 25 years later from its base at no 7 Pepper Street.

Teresa said that she has loved every minute of her job but now was the time to live her life.

A well-known and familiar face around the town, Teresa was born and bred in Tavistock and started her working life in Market Street Co-op before she decided to dramatically change her career and worked in the shoe repairs industry with a company based in the town.

Full training was given by the company and she became an experienced member of the team — but after four years, Teresa decided to set up her own business, with the help of a government scheme and went to business school for four weeks.

And for the past 25 years Polly Perkins — a name she created as it would be memorable for customers — was home to the mending of shoes, handbags and other items, as well as the cutting of keys.

Teresa, who has run the shop with her husband Philip since 2000, said that over the years people’s habits had changed and that ‘we live in a throw away society’ which she cannot compete with.

‘Shoes cost £10 and then people throw them away and buy a new pair when they are broken, they won’t spend money to get them fixed when they can get a new pair for cheaper. I just can’t compete with that.

‘I am finishing with the business that I started 25 years ago but I have loved every minute of my job but now is the time to live life.’

Teresa said she is ‘exercise mad’ and will use a lot of her new found time to enjoy her hobbies — cycling, coastal walks, sea fishing and she loves walking on Dartmoor — with the added bonus of trying her hand at kayaking.

She said that she will miss her customers and the customer interaction but added that lockdown ‘made us realise that there was more to life than work’.

‘I love my work and I have been doing it for 29 years. I am not thinking about the end but I feel it is appropriate to finish — I am sure there will be a few tears on September 5.’