A RENOWNED shopkeeper is closing up after more than 40 years on the high street.

John Wood Sports shutdown on Friday, January 20, 46 years after opening. John Wood, 82, is the owner and believes that independent shops in the area will now suffer due to the rise of online shopping and national businesses staking their claim in Wokingham.

The former footballer turned shopkeeper said: “I’m getting on in life. Sales have gone down, the town centre is a right mess and retail isn’t what it was 20 years ago.”

The Finchampstead based shopkeeper enjoyed a professional footballing career, plying his trade at Wimbledon and Sutton in the late 50s and worked on Fleet Street as a compositor for newspapers.

He also became a big part of the community during his time here, sponsoring football teams and even competing at a local level until he was 62.

“People say ‘you’re a legend to this community’. I’m not happy with what’s happened to this town, but it’s happened to a lot of towns.”

The retail trade on the high street has been gradually slowing and John hasn’t replaced his last two employee’s. His lease has expired and he can now enjoy retirement, even though he has been on his pension for the last 16 years. He never lost faith in his business, however. He said: “For the last ten years it has been slowing down. I used to sell lots of football shirts, but it’s all online now. I would still carry on.”