The Old Smithy, which has slowly evolved from a largely tourist concern to an all-year round draw.
“We stay fairly busy throughout the year,” Steve Cross explains. “People do often think of Godshill as being purely coach orientated but it isn’t. In the summer months we get everyone and we get a mix of visitors throughout the year. The coaches do provide us with good background level of trade all year round. We are a destination and I think that really helps us, along with our coffee shop and free parking. The businesses in Godshill work well together and we provide the main car park.”
Steve runs the business with his wife Jane, together with her mother Rosemary and Diane her aunt. Jane’s grandfather founded the business in 1948 when he bought the Old Smithy forge from the village blacksmith. Since then the business has grown from a small summer trade in souvenirs and brasswares to today where there are four shops and a cafe, open 363 days of the year, employing 30 full-time staff and up to 40 people in the summer.
“We are very reliant on our good local trade, particularly in the months building up to Easter. We are very lucky that lots of people have supported us over the years. We were probably one of the first places to extend our season and then move to opening all year round. It is hard, particularly at first when you will have really quiet days and lose money. You have to stick at it and people learn that you are open. Now our peak season is still Whitsun through to October and our busiest time can often be as late as September. 10 or 15 years ago Christmas wasn’t that important but now it’s a big part of our business. I think we’ve got a broader range of customers than we once had, and we’ve widened our appeal.”
The café and clothing department are key to bringing in local customers throughout the year. The Old Smithy began by selling tweed and kilts aimed at the tourist market. Now Jane caters for a “classic, smart lady, with quirky and funky fashionable ranges too, as well as a range of handbags.” Steve does most of the other buying and Diane looks after staffing and wages, making the Old Smithy a definite family business. I ask Steve if it dominates his life and he grins, although he sighs a little too as he answers “Yes”. He knows that carving out a niche in the retail market takes a lot of effort and he’s pragmatic about the future.
“I don’t think anyone is insulated from what’s happening to retail at a higher level. 10 or 15 years ago Asda and Tesco just sold food and now they’ve moved into gifts and non-food items. It’s hit everyone in retail and it’s so much more competitive now. 15 years ago you wouldn’t have gone to the supermarket for gifts or home interior items. It has to hit somebody somewhere and you have to keep an eye on product ranges and price points. We bear that in mind when we are buying and we try to put different slants on things. A lot of that comes down to the way you present things. It also means everybody is working harder to achieve the same results.”
