Nuneaton spud firm foiled by footfall drop...

After nearly two decades of serving delicious baked potatoes to shoppers and workers in Nuneaton town centre a business will shut its hatch for the last time next week.



Debbie Finley, owner of Dinner Jackets based on Coventry Street between Barclays Bank and H Samuel Jewellers, is closing the business after 17 years due to dwindling sales.

"I've had a wonderful run, made so many friends, some people have been with me right from the start," said the Whitestone resident.

"But it's just not working as a business any more, there's less people in the town centre, they (the council) say footfall hasn't dropped but I see it everyday and it definitely has.''

Debbie worked on the van for two years before buying the business 15 years ago and has been a mainstay in the town centre ever since.

She admitted the decision to wind up her business was a difficult one.

The married mother of one said: "It was heart-breaking, I bought the business and won't be able to sell it on, but there comes a time when you've just got to make the call.

"My main trade was evening sales and from people who actually work in the town, when Marks and Spencers shut that had a big impact because ten or 11 of the workers there would regularly come here for a potato.

"There's not enough in the town centre to attract people in, you can go to the Ricoh or Tamworth and park for free, whereas if you're here for a few hours it's costing you a lot of money.

"People are cutting back too, so people who may have come here before are bringing their own lunch into work, or are only working part-time so don't need to eat during the day.''

Dinner Jackets has moved with the times offering unique toppings such as TexMex and chili and coleslaw – but the biggest seller was a predictable one.

"Cheese and bean,'' replied Debbie. "It's simple and people love it, but we've had some odd requests through the years, like cheese, curry and pineapple!''

Debbie's and Dinner Jackets' final day in business will be on Friday, December 20.

When jacket potato businesses start to fail you know that we're in trouble