AN electrical shop is closing its doors after more than six decades of trading in Witney.

Owner Matt Delnevo, whose uncle Victor opened V. Delnevo in 1947, will close the High Street shop on Saturday.

He did not want to compete with supermarket prices and was looking for a new business venture, although he would not say what.

The 43-year-old said: “The company is just ceasing to trade.

“It’s not closing because of liquidation, we feel it’s our time to depart.

“We would like to say thank you to all of our customers.

“Over the years we have seen a lot of customers’ sons and daughters in repeat business.”

He added: “It’s not necessarily sad, we are moving into what we consider to be better prospects. The company is still viable, it’s just a new venture.”

The shop, which specialised in selling radios, originally opened in Corn Street, at the Delnevo family home.

That branch closed two years ago and has since traded solely from High Street, which opened 15 years ago.

Mr Delnevo said: “The trade is being had by the cheaper brands that are not so reliable.

“We tend to pride ourselves on selling high-end or very name branded electronics, rather than the cheaper end, to stick to the quality.

“But, unfortunately, you can buy the quality at supermarkets.

“We can compete but we pride ourselves on the service and the after-care service. It is just a sign of the times.”

At the age of 18, Victor was called up to the Army to serve in the Royal Corps of Signals. When he returned home to Witney, he started repairing radio sets.

His brother Fred was later called up to join the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment.

He was discharged in 1947 and joined his brother in the radio trade.

The company was transformed from repairing and maintaining sets into retail, selling makes such as Hacker, Roberts, EKO, Bush and HMV. Victor died in 1985, aged 66, and the shop was run by Fred, now 86, until he retired 10 years ago.

He left the family business in the hands of son Matt, who has two sons, Ben, 12, and Max, nine.

Lesley Semaine, chairman of Witney’s Chamber of Commerce, said: “It’s extremely sad to lose a local independent family business. I think everybody will be sad to see them go.

“I think people like to come in for individual service, which is what you seem to get with small independents.”