AFTER 14 years of kitting out the best-dressed youngsters in Craven, Monday's Child on Coach Street, Skipton, has closed its doors.

Rita Barsby opened the children's clothes shop after retiring from teaching. Her husband, Peter, soon followed suit and joined her in the business.

Mrs Barsby said the aim of the shop was to provide good quality middle-of-the-road priced clothes which she felt was not available in the town at the time.

"I felt that Skipton could carry another children's clothes shop as it was in the days before other shops carried children's wear and the multi-nationals moved into the town," she said.

Over the years Mrs Barsby said she had seen many changes.

"Traditional baby garments began to disappear in favour of clothes that made children at an ever-younger age into mini-adults. Fashion for children took over from quality basic needs, and pastels gave way to bolder colours," she told the Herald.

She added that the introduction of school uniforms changed the demand for budget dresses and trousers. She added that they had had to change with the times to keep up with demand.

Mrs Barsby, a long time campaigner for the survival of small, independent shops in Skipton, said she had seen many changes in trading patterns.

"Skipton is now much more geared to the trippers whose visits are limited to the season. Supermarkets and multi-nationals are slowly destroying the small independent retailers with the result that many commodities can no longer be obtained in a small town like Skipton."

She added that she wished shoppers would just think about what was happening to smaller shops.

However, Mrs Barsby and her husband said they had thoroughly enjoyed working in Skipton and would miss the contact with the children and families in the town.

"Having a children's shop one knows that customers will outgrow you. This time I have outgrown them. I have had a core of regular, loyal customers who have been coming for many years," Mrs Barsby added.

In her retirement, Mrs Barsby plans to spend more time reading, doing needlework and playing with her grandchildren. She added that holidays had also been sparse whilst running the shop and so she and her husband were planning a trip to New Zealand.

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