Bonds of Farsley - End of an era as much loved Leeds haberdashery shop to close

It's the Leeds shop which has proved to be an Aladdin’s cave for generations of haberdashery lovers.
Linda Jones in the shop. PIC: Tony JohnsonLinda Jones in the shop. PIC: Tony Johnson
Linda Jones in the shop. PIC: Tony Johnson

Bonds of Farsley has been serving customers since 1983 when it first opened its shop at 93 Town Street in the village.

It was founded by the late Ron and Coral Bond who started selling on market stalls around West Yorkshire in the 1950s.

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"My dad would go to manufacturers the length and breadth of the country to do deals and would buy entire surplus stock," recalls Linda. "We had everything - threads, zips, braids, cords, fringes laces, ribbons, knitting needles, sewing needles and buttons, loads of them."

"My dad used to say 'there is only one thing better than being of good stock and that is to have plenty of it'"

"Back in the day the best advertising was word of mouth. We built up a good reputation. And we were the cheapest around."

During the 1980s right through to the end of the 1990s the shop would welcome coach loads of customers every week.

The shop has thousands of buttons in stock. PIC: Tony JohnsonThe shop has thousands of buttons in stock. PIC: Tony Johnson
The shop has thousands of buttons in stock. PIC: Tony Johnson
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Linda recalled: "Half of them would go upstairs and the rest would stay downstairs. We would give them a kiss and we would have a laugh. They were friends because they supported us. They gave us strength."

Over the years Bonds has served the needs of every customer including those with unusual sales requests.

"A customer once bought 2,000 kilos of loose buttons," recalls Linda. "And she also took 100,000 metres of furnishing braid. "Another one bought 24,000 metres of vintage braid from us. She had a vintage workshop where she would make bags."

Linda has announced her retirement with Bonds of Farsley set to close on Thursday, December 19.

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"It's a very different retail world. People do not have a lot of time and it is quicker to buy on the Internet," said Linda. "There is a real affection for the shop out there. But people need to remember that local shops cannot survive on nostalgia. They need your support."

Linda says she has been inundated with messages of support since she shared the news with Farsley and beyond.

"There have been people crying in the shop," said Linda, a mother-of-two. "If I was 17 again I would do another 50 years. Knowing customers, serving them, I have loved every minute of it."

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