'Oldest' Coventry firm ceases trading 'with great sadness' after 295 years

[dutchman]

Astleys at Coventry Business Park was helmed by David and Jonathan Astley



A family-owned Coventry firm believed to be the oldest in the city has officially ceased trading. Astleys, established for 295 years, has closed for good, a decision bosses say was taken with 'great sadness.'

Founded in 1730, Astleys specialised in cleaning, hygiene and janitorial products and was based at Coventry Business Park. It entered solvent liquidation and subsequently ceased trading.

Directors David and Jonathan Astley said the liquidation was sparked by various factors, including changes to buying habits after COVID. In a joint statement, they said Astleys was one of a few independent retailers in the city, and there had been a surge in multinational firms in the West Midlands.

Operational costs were also cited, with an increase in rates said to be 'increasingly difficult to swallow.' David and Jonathan said they took the decision for Astleys to cease trading with 'great sadness.'

In a joint statement, they said: “It is with great sadness that the directors of the business have taken the decision to end our relationship with thousands of wonderful customers. However, it is time to make this decision whilst we are in the position to be able to withdraw with honour held. We are conducting a controlled shutdown, ensuring that we pay all our staff, suppliers and other creditors. Astleys has not gone bust, we are entering solvent liquidation.

“Many of our customers have said many wonderful things and expressed shock and disappointment. We have heard that Astleys is part of Coventry, and indeed, after 295 years of employing Coventrians, serving Coventry businesses and paying our taxes and dues, we also feel that sentiment. If only history paid the bills.

“Astleys was one of the very few independent distributors in a market dominated by large multinationals. Suppliers, increasingly pressured by competition and the need to reduce their overheads, favoured dealing with fewer, larger customers, which further disadvantages smaller independents, making it difficult to compete.

“Astleys has, as some other similarly sized competitors that we have spoken with, experienced some perplexing decisions from mainly 'corporate' large customers, making decisions that lock us out of business that we would normally expect to have kept. Business where our customers are equally perplexed and frustrated by their 'higher-ups' desire to make decisions based on 'corporate expediency' rather than logical sense.

“It is an unfortunate fact that business has changed so that there is little time to consider the value in what is bought rather than the lowest ultimate cost, which invariably is more expensive. If you have been a customer of Astleys, we would like to thank you for your business in the past and wish you every success for the future.”