Bold Street has been through a magnitude of changes in the last three decades. It has become one of the most eclectic locations in Liverpool, brimming with independent businesses.
Today, though, marks the end of an era for the family run Rennies Gallery which will close its doors for the final time marking the end of a business that has run across Merseyside for almost 60 years. The gallery was founded by Ronald and Jean Rennie in 1965, with several locations across Liverpool, St Helens and Wirral.
It was with their son Duncan that they settled on Bold Street in 1991 and have remained at 61-63 until the final day today. With its other locations also winding up, Duncan said, despite attempts to downsize to a smaller outlet, Rennies will close its doors for good this weekend.
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Duncan, 66, said: “We’re getting lots of positive feedback from people, people saying they’ve been coming here all their life, people in tears. It’s hit lots of people very, very hard. Lots of customers have become friends over the years and we’ve watched them grow with us. It’s very hard but circumstances dictate.
“There’s no one single reason for it but the pedestrianisation of the street was the last nail in the coffin really.” A total of 19 staff work across Rennies’ two locations in Liverpool and St Helens, with 12 based out of Bold Street.
Duncan, who lives in Wallasey, said as fortunes changed and the popular avenue developed, the business had looked at relocating, but had remained in place during the pandemic. He said: “There was a possibility of us moving over the road where we’d get rear access and condensing down to a smaller shop.
“When that fell through, it was a case of cutting our losses and closing up. It was a mixed bag, the government support wasn’t bad, the flexible furlough meant we could keep staff on despite being seasonal.
“The big downside was the move to online shopping, it moved exponentially. Lots of people then got used to buying online and weren’t coming back again, or when they did try, they couldn’t get back up the street.
“It’s frustrating because there’s more passing trade now than there ever has been. They’re not shopping, they’re all looking for somewhere to eat, which is fine, but the closure was presented as a temporary measure during the pandemic.
“It’s not been a total anathema to the gallery side, but for the materials side it’s been a loss. The year before covid, we actually had a good year. It felt like things were going in the right direction.
“I honestly think in five years time there’ll be no shops on this street at all, it’ll be all eateries, and if that’s what’s going to happen, they need to pave it properly.”
The shop has always been a family affair, despite Duncan not being an art fanatic. It was mum Jean that had the creative touch according to the businessman.
He said: “I opened up 42 years ago with my mother. My mum and dad had a market stall in Birkenhead and then they went to a small shop in the 1970s.
“The business started through my mother’s paintings, she was given some oil paints and found she enjoyed it. My dad ended up giving a perfectly good job to start making frames for the paintings and that’s how it went.
“We opened this one and they retired quite early so I’ve run it ever since with my brother. There’s been three people here who’ve got married over the years, we’ve got Darren the manager of the gallery who came to us on a YTS scheme at 16.”
Visiting Rennies to speak to Duncan, it was hard to believe the shop was closing down, with customers saying how much they loved the location. The decision, once made, was a simple one to live with for the owner, but one he didn’t make lightly.
He said: “It’s a real double-edged thing. I was ages coming to a decision. Once I’d made my mind up it was fine, it was just the practicalities and living with it. It’s a wrench, it really is, to close up.
“For me personally, it’s balanced with the prospect of retirement, which I’m ready for. I lost my wife a few years back and I’ve probably not been on it as much as I could have which is maybe a contributory factor as well.”
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