A 58-YEAR-OLD is to close her Kidlington haberdashery because she is struggling to work with a debilitating neurological disease.

Jane Devereux will close Jane’s, in High Street, today after 21 years.

The Witney resident was diagnosed seven years ago with transverse myelopathy, an inflammation of the spinal cord, which has damaged her mobility.

She said: “I can’t do it any more, I get too tired. My legs can’t cope with the fatigue.

“I’m not quite fed up yet. I’ll still sew. I’m sort of looking forward to retiring.”

She added: “My customers have been fantastic. When I was in hospital I had so many cards and letters.”

She said: “The shop has changed a bit over the years but the customers stayed with me. It was all clothes when I came. We’ve moved them back and the wools and sewing forward.”

The recession had changed customer habits, she said.

“People have had much more of a tendency to make do and mend than 10 years ago. They’re a lot more careful than they used to be.”

Her view was echoed by Dave Cox, of Freelance Fabrics, at the Kidlington Centre in High Street, who said: “The recession has meant people are making do and mending more. They are rediscovering sewing.”

Miss Devereux added: “The customers understand why I’m closing. They’d rather I didn’t, but they understand.

“I’d like to thank everyone in Kidlington for their support over the years.”

Regular customer Barbara Hutt, 81, said: “I’ll definitely miss it. So many people have been going in with flowers telling her the same, saying she can’t leave.

“She’s a wonderful woman and so helpful. She’ll do anything for you.

“There’s nothing else like it around, it sells everything people could possibly want.”

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