'It'll be a wrench, but the time has come,' says owner.
McCann's DIY Centre in Bradford is to close after 61 years in business.

Owner David McCann – who is 57 – and his wife Julie are retiring, and have put the premises up for sale with a half-price closing-down sale under way to clear stock.

Mr McCann told diyweek.net it would be a wrench to leave a store he has been working in for 40 years.

McCann's DIY Centre was started in 1947 by David's father, John Edward McCann, and was originally a joinery and undertakers' business before John McCann built it up into a retailer.

The business moved twice; the first time in 1973, the second to its present site in 1978 where it has been extended to sit over two floors.

"When you're used to serving and giving advice to customers, it's not easy to retire," David McCann said, "but I've been 40 years in the trade, and the children didn't want it so I thought it best to sell up."

He went on: "Being of service to people has been the best thing about running the store for so many years, but the time has come and that's it.

"I've enjoyed it, but I must admit I've found it harder as the years have passed – I spend more time with my head down in the office looking at paper work than I do serving."

He said his most enjoyable time recently was during a half price sale when "I got to talk to people, and offer service – it was like going back in time."

Mr McCann has no immediate plans for the future outside of "spending time with family and friends."