A shoe repairer in Caerphilly town centre may be the oldest independent business still trading in the town.
PH Gay & Sons was first established in 1905 by Pearson Henry Gay in a small shop on Cardiff Road, it then moved into St Fagan’s Street before passing to Pearson’s son Hubert in 1926.
The business has remained a family concern continuing to be handed down from father to son. In the 1960’s Hubert‘s son Desmond took over and in 1989 he handed it on to his son David.
There was more change in 2005 when David moved PH Gay & Sons to the new Pavilions development, which was part of the old post office. When The Pavilions was demolished in 2013 to make way for the new library, the business again returned to Cardiff Road where it is today.
PH Gay & Sons still carries out a range of traditional shoe repairs as well as selling a range of leather goods and offering a key cutting service.
Interestingly, when the cobblers first started in 1905 the family also owned another shop on The Square in Senghenydd. This shop had electricity from the colliery’s pit winder, whilst the Caerphilly shop only had gas because the town had no colliery.
David said:
In my father’s day he was known as a time served crafts man and I hope that is what I would be considered today. The business has changed, although we don’t make shoes anymore there is huge satisfaction in using my skill to mend shoes that people think are beyond repair.