Leggs Darlington on importance of moving with the times

The owner of one of Darlington’s oldest independent businesses has spoken of the importance of continuing to evolve and move with the times.

John Coxon is the owner of Leggs and alongside his wife Ann, the shop has become a Darlington institution.

The shop on Skinnergate opened in 1972, but the history of the family-run business goes back much further.

John said: “My grandfather started in Shildon in 1911. It was a the first of five branches we had which we condensed into one in Darlington around the turn of the century.”

John’s family took over Leggs in 1972 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

John worked with his mum and dad in the Darlington shop when it opened and eventually took on the running of the business.

The family-run business used to trade as Coxon’s and had five branches across the region.

The owner explained that the Darlington store was an existing business when they took over.

Leggs originally traded as Coxon’s and was started in Shildon in 1911 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“We traded as Coxon’s, and when we took it over, it was called Leggs Stocking Bar,” he said.

“It only sold tights and stockings; it was a tiny little shop, around 300 square feet. Currently, we have about 2,000 square feet.

“We expanded the ground floor, then took over the first floor, and then we added another building to the rear, so it has grown and grown over the years.”

And John said he loves being in the occasion-wear business.

The store used to be known as Leggs Stocking Bar, before John’s father took it over in 1972 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“I always find it exciting when planning growth and expansion. It is a great business to be in, making people feel good about themselves and look good,” he said.

With being one of the town’s oldest independent businesses, John spoke of the importance of moving with the times and constantly evolving.

He said: “It is vital, the world is always a different place, so many things have changed.

John said the people who inhabit the independent businesses are what makes Darlington great (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“Leggs used to be just a tights and stockings shop, but they are worn very occasionally.

“But we’re still here, the one thing we haven’t changed is the name. It seemed to have quite a good attachment for all people.

“Change is a continual process.”

The business operated a website where people could buy clothes for around 18 years but decided to scrap it a number of years ago.

The store used to be known as Leggs Stocking Bar, before John’s father took it over in 1972 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

John said he believed having a physical presence on the high street is a “vital” part of retail.

“I still feel that a physical presence, somewhere that people can try things on and get good advice on what they are and what they’re about, is a vital part of retailing,” he said.

“Even in today’s electronic world. And it is good fun too. It is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon and interact with various people.”

Being one of Darlington’s oldest independents, John said they regularly get customers coming back and generations of the same family coming into the store.

He said: “We get a lot of returning customers, and that is something we appreciated greatly during Covid.

“We had many customers who seemed to be buying things simply because we were there.

“We obviously adapted what we were offering, but I’m sure our customers were buying things mainly out of the goodness of their hearts.”

John added: “We regularly see a lot of generations of families. We greatly appreciate them continuing to come back.

Leggs stocks both men’s and women’s occasion-wear (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“We do more and more occasion-wear, such as weddings and suits for races. People bring their friends, family and children to us too.”

Having evolved with the times and continuing to thrive, John claimed it is important to support and continue to support independent businesses.

He said: “Independent businesses are vital to the survival of most town centres. Town centres, to my mind, are the logical, physical place to have the hub of a community.

“It is the nearest point for everybody who lives in that town, as opposed to an out-of-town location.

“The central point is the nearest point to everybody, and it’s also what you think of. If you think of a place, you don’t think of an out-of-town shopping centre.

“You think of the heart of the town, which is the traditional shopping centre.”

And he said it is the people of Darlington who make the independent businesses and the town.

“That is what a town is, the people,” John said.

“We have got some nice buildings, some pleasant physical surroundings, but at the end of the day, it is the mix of people and the community.

“They are supported by so many other things in the town centre, such as the fantastic historic church buildings. We have a couple of theatres too.

“And we have also got a very good selection of really nice restaurants and cafés, but the people who inhabit them all are what make the town.”