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Sewing shop to close after 45 years
09/01/2025
Changes announced in the Autumn Budget have been blamed
A long-standing Parson’s Street shop will be closing its doors after 45 years in February.
The Cotswold Sewing Centre – formerly known as the Banbury Sewing Centre – has been run by Amy-Leigh Brennan-Rogers since 2020. She took over the business from her mum Tracey Ann O’Carroll, who had previously run the shop for fifteen years.
The changes announced in the Autumn Budget have been blamed, which Amy says has made it very difficult to remain open as a small business in Banbury.
Amy took over running the business as the world was hit with the COVID pandemic. With initiatives such as creating fabric facemasks the shop managed to weather the storm and expanded with the Witney Sewing and Knitting Centre becoming part of the business.
Announcing the decision to close the Banbury shop Amy said: “I’d rather make the choice to shut now, than struggle on and be forced to do so down the line. This is not a decision I would have made had I felt I had another option.
“As many will know, I took over the shop after the death of my lovely Mum in 2020 in order to continue with her dream of what the business could become. I made her a promise to turn it around and I hope she would be proud of where it stands today.”
Both the shop in Witney and the online business are not affected by the closure of the Parson’s Street shop.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam