Sunderland: End of an era as specialist camera shop pulls down its shutters for last time

Charles Eagle and Son in Maritime Street, Sunderland, is holding a last farewell sale as it prepares to cease trading on Saturday March 28.

Owner Brian Eagles, the son of late co-founder Charles, said: "It's very much with mixed feelings that I'm leaving.

Brian Eagles in the 70s

"I'm excited at the prospect of retiring after travelling from my home in Durham to Sunderland since 1961, but at the same time I'm going to miss the customers.

"Most of most my customers weren't just customers, they were friends who would pop into the shop regularly for cuppa. Some people are heartbroken that I’m leaving.

"As a specialist photoshop there nothing like us in the region. People used to come from all over the country to shop here."

While the growth of internet shopping and camera phones provided competition, the deaths of his father aged 94 in 2019 and son Charles, 52, who lost his battle with cancer in 2018, were more significant factors.

Brian and his father worked at Saxons in Sunderland from 1961 to 1969, when the owner retired and they were made redundant.

Charles Eagles who set up a photographic business with his son Charles, in Sunderland in 1972

He said: "We decided to set up alone and my dad took out a £2,000 bank to open a shop in nearby Crowtree Road in 1972.

"To begin with I worked at the shop in the day and as manager of the Durham Squash Club in the evening, as there was not enough money for my salary.

"Instead of cameras, we used to put empty boxes on the shelves to make it look as though that we had more stock.

"Then in 1978 I took the gamble and decided to work fulltime. With us working together the business just took off."

Brian, who has seen a revolution in photography, said: "When I started in the trade we used to sell separate chemicals so people could make their own developer and fixer. We even used to sell old-fashioned flash powder."

Chas Eagles & Son in Crowtree Road, Sunderland. The first store of Charlie Eagles and son Brian

In 1982 the business moved to Maritime Street, where its reputation as a camera and accessories specialist continued to grow, attracting customers from as far afield as Scotland, Cumbria and North Yorkshire. In 1995, Brian took over Ron's cameras in Durham's Gates Shopping Centre.

Brian said: "I ran that for 20 years until they knocked the shopping centre down in 2015. It was managed by Tony Hands, who came with the shop. He was an old class mate of mine from Whinney Hill School."

Brian, who is selling the premises, praised staff members Peter Rickerby, Stuart Lauderdale and Robin Hunter for their loyalty over the years.

Brian's father, Charles, lived in East Herrington, Sunderland, became a sergeant with the 9th battalion of the Durham Light Infantry, aged just 19 and landed on Gold Beach, in Normandy, on D-Day.

He was awarded the Legion D’Honneur, France’s highest military honour, at Durham Cathedral.