Contree Mansell Stores family say goodbye after 25 years

The shop along Mansell Street in St Peter Port has been in the family since 1995, with many family members helping to run the store over the years.

‘It’s been kept in the family, my mum Rose Dennis, my husband Frank, and his sister Mary Ingrouille work here,’ owner Alison Robinson said.

Mrs Robinson said that initially the store was taken over by her father, who then offered the shop to her after he was diagnosed with emphysema.

Her husband Frank Robinson joined the business when Mrs Robinson was diagnosed with, and now clear of, bowel cancer.

‘We took over in May 2006 and did it all up,’ she said.

‘It went from strength to strength and we never looked back.’

A lot has happened at the shop throughout the family’s time there, with changes to the economy and the way things are bought.

Sourcing items has been an issue for them, and this is another reason why they think it is a good time to move on.

‘It’s changed a lot over the years, we look back to the time when we were able to source locally more easily,’ Mr Robinson said.

‘Now it’s a challenge as we have competition from bigger supermarkets. But we’re a local store and people come in to see us, we’re part of the community, so it will be sad when we leave.’

Mrs Robinson insists there is a lot more for them to do in the future.

‘We never had a lot of quality time off together with the shop open from 7.30am to 9.30pm most days,’ said Mrs Robinson.

‘We decided last year, the time was now that we should do something different.

‘I turned 50, Frank turned 60, my mum and Mary turned 70, so it was time.

‘This way we can now do what we want and spend time doing what we want to do.

‘We are going to work part-time and then also find some time to go to Cornwall, to take Sasha our golden retriever to see where she is from.

‘We’re really looking forward to it.’

The shop will be taken over by Tozers owner Scott Cockburn and is newly-managed by Sophie Eisden.