High Street Spotlight: Newark Paint and Hardware on Clinton Street, Newark

The owner of a family-run decorating and hardware store — the only one of its kind in Newark — is urging people to continue to support local businesses.

Newark Paint and Hardware was set up by Jon Whiles in 2011 after he was made redundant, and he decided to team up with a business partner, who had an empty premises on Northgate, to set up his own business.

Eight years later, the business partners parted ways and Jon continued the business alone, moving to a new premises — a former garage showroom on Clinton Street — where they have remained ever since.

Jon runs the business with his wife Joy, offering a one-stop shop for everything needed for customers to spruce up their homes and gardens.

“We offer everything you can think of,” Jon said, “We can mix any paint colour or finish and have all the associated sundries to go with it.

“We’ve also got all the associated hardware products including rain water buts, wheelbarrows, watering cans, dustbins, incinerators and more.”

Jon said that since the high-profile closure of Homebase in Newark last year, they have seen a lot of new customers coming through the doors, many of whom have been pleasantly surprised by their competitive prices.

“People have this vision that the big names are gong to be cheaper but that’s not the case at all,” he said, “We also don’t have a massive car park that people struggle to get in and out of, we’ve got plenty of space right outside and we’re the ideal location — still in the town centre, but away from all the hustle and bustle.”

The struggles of local businesses in the current climate are well known, and Jon is urging people to support all small businesses, including their own.

“At the end of the day, if people like us are going to survive then people need to get off their computers and come into town to support us,” he said, “Shops are closing but when you ask people, they will say they’ve never been in them and that’s the key — people need to go back to basics and support local because it’s a difficult time.”

As for the future, Jon said that the plan is to keep offering their services as long as possible: “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it!” he said.