09/08/2026
📖 Skidmores Story – Part 36: The End of One Chapter… The Beginning of Another.
After more than a century of serving Worle and beyond, the Skidmores story continues to be recognised far beyond the High Street.
Brian and Carol were invited to the Palace of Westminster after contributing to The Parliamentary Review, sharing the remarkable story of Skidmores, its 100-year journey and its thoughts on the future of independent retail. As a thank you for their contribution, they attended a Gala Evening hosted by Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett, alongside guests including Sir Geoff Hurst and Julia Hartley-Brewer.
It's a proud moment and a fitting reminder of just how far Edward Skidmore's little business has come.
But perhaps the greatest achievement isn't the invitation to Parliament.
It's that, after more than 100 years, Skidmores is still here.
Over the course of this year we've met Edward, Stanley, Nel, Bill, Bert, Muriel and so many others. We've watched Worle grow from a village surrounded by fields into the thriving community we know today. We've celebrated births, mourned losses, witnessed world wars, changing fashions, changing High Streets and changing generations.
Through it all, one thing remained constant.
The name Skidmores.
Today, the business is proudly led by Brian, Michael and Carol , the latest generation to carry the family name forward. Like those before them, they continue to embrace change while never losing sight of the values that built the business in the first place: honesty, quality, service and looking after their customers.
None of this would have been possible without the incredible loyalty of past and present members of staff, many of whom devoted decades of their working lives to the business. The Skidmore family would like to thank every one of them for the part they have played in this remarkable journey.
And finally, thank you.
Thank you to every customer who has walked through the doors, bought a carpet, chosen a new bed, furnished a first home, stopped for an ice cream, or simply popped in for a chat over the last century.
Without you, there would be no story to tell.
From a small family shop opened by Edward Skidmore in 1919... to the independent business that still stands proudly in Worle today...
The story doesn't end here.
It's simply waiting for the next chapter to be written.
❤️ Thank you for following The Skidmores Story.
