A FAMILY-RUN electronics shop in Farnworth which has been serving the community for over 70 years will be closing its doors for the final time at the end of the month.

Diana Magnall currently runs Modern Radio with her daughter-in-law Suzanne Rothwell, having worked at the business - which was founded by her parents in 1948 - since she was 16.

Now Diana has decided it's time for her to retire and the shop will close on June 30 after 73 years, although its Ebay page will continue.

Diana, 67, said: "I realised I was ready for a bit of me time after all these years, although I am sad to be closing the shop.

"We have so many regular customers, lots of them have been coming their entire lives - one customer is 95 years old.

"The comments we've received since we announced that we would be closing have been very flattering.

"We are still going to keep the Ebay site going - as with many things its moving online."

 

Diana's parents Irene and Bill Burrows founded Modern Radio in 1948. Diana started working at the shop with her mum in 1970 after her dad died.

Suzanne joined her 24 years ago and the pair have been working together ever since.

Diana added: "I feel very proud of the fact we're women running the shop, although in the past customers would come in and direct their questions to men who were in the shop and not at us.

"I think they were quite surprised to see a woman behind the counter in a shop like this.

"So much has changed over the 50 years I've been here - the last 15 years in particularly technology has galloped forward.

"It's a huge learning curve and you've constantly got to stay up to date with things.

"We've had to change direction several times. In the 70s we sold a lot of hi-fi equipment, then started stocking DIY burglar alarms.

"In the 90s we sold a lot of amateur radio equipment. Now everything is digital.

"We actually coped ok during lockdown as we were classed as an essential store, for example, we supply equipment used in care homes and items people need to fix their central heating."

The shop will close on June 30 but due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation there won't be a big event to mark its closure. Suzanne chose not to keep the shop going although a close family friend will run the Ebay shop.

Diana added: "All the comments from everyone have meant a lot.

"I'm now looking forward to having a bit of me time - I've got lots of plans and like to keep busy."