The owners of highly-regarded independent hardware shop Thorpes are celebrating 75 years of the name on Gosforth High Street.
Mike Ryans, a former criminal negligence solicitor and his father-in-law, Fred Wilson, also a former lawyer, bought the shop from retiring brothers Colin and Peter Thorpe four-and-half years ago.
Since taking over the Gosforth business from the Thorpes, the pair – who were long-time customers of the shop before they decided to buy it – said that business has been good, particularly thanks to the lockdown DIY and home improvement boom, and despite the threat from online retailers such as Amazon.
