"This business is my livelihood, it pays my mortgage and it's the only job I've got." These are the words of Leigh Richards who owns shoe repair stall The Shoe Box at Caerphilly Indoor Market. Just a few days earlier, the 59-year-old found out the council wants to demolish the near 100-year-old building in a bid to turn it into flats and offices.
"We had a feeling something was up, but when we were actually told, it was a shock," he said. "It made me feel a bit sick." Leigh, who is from Pontypridd, has been repairing shoes in Caerphilly for 43 years. He said if the plan goes ahead outlined, it would see him packing his toolkit up for good.
Leigh said: "There's no way we can afford to trade in a town centre shop, the rates are too high. There's talk from the council about possibly putting us somewhere in shipping containers, but try moving my equipment, it's about a tonne in weight. If this does shut, I'm gone. I wouldn't do this again and it's gutting. I'm not sure what I'd do next as this is all I've done since I left school, but I'm also too young to retire."
