Former customers and staff have been sharing fond memories of Doggarts, the once-prominent department store chain that dominated high streets across County Durham and the North East for much of the 20th century.
The chain, founded in Bishop Auckland in the late 19th century, closed its final stores in 1980, but more than 40 years later, it remains warmly remembered by generations of shoppers.
Memories Shared Ahead of Christmas
As the festive season approaches, social media users across the region have been reminiscing about Christmas shopping trips, window displays, and café visits at Doggarts branches in Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Durham, and other towns.
Christine Bell recalled: “I loved seeing the fantastic window displays, wonderful happy memories of when we were kids.”
Ann Morgan, who worked at the company’s main Bishop Auckland branch in the 1970s, said: “It was one of the best department stores in its time.”
Anne Molyneux remembered her local branch in Wingate: “You could buy anything in that shop and it was all quality stuff. I remember the yellow Doggarts Club ticket that let families buy goods on credit.”
Many recalled the store’s distinctive features, including its money chute system, popular café, and Christmas visits to see Santa.
A County Durham Retail Empire
Doggarts was founded by Arthur Robert Doggart in 1895, when he took over a drapery business in Bishop Auckland’s Market Place.
The company expanded rapidly, becoming one of the North East’s most successful family-owned retailers.
By the 1930s, Doggarts operated 17 branches across the region and employed 1,200 staff, supported by 800 local agents who collected payments from customers through the company’s innovative Doggarts Club, an early credit scheme that allowed families to buy goods over time.
The company’s headquarters in Auckland House, Bishop Auckland, became the centre of a growing retail network that also included branches in Darlington, Durham, Spennymoor, Consett, Stockton, Ashington, Crook, Peterlee, and Wingate.
The stores were known for their distinctive green delivery vans, hand-painted price tags, and pneumatic cash dispensers that linked tills to the accounts office — features that made Doggarts a familiar part of life for shoppers across the county.
“Grace Brothers of the North”
Often compared to the fictional Grace Brothers store from Are You Being Served?, Doggarts maintained a traditional atmosphere where staff addressed each other formally and customer service was seen as central to its success.
The Bishop Auckland flagship store even featured a 150-seat restaurant, remembered for its stained glass windows and orange juice machine that fascinated generations of visitors.
Sarah Navin recalled: “I remember the café upstairs with the huge stained glass window. My dad queued all night once for the Doggarts sale to get a Hornby train set for us.”
Family Legacy and Sporting Links
Arthur Doggart, a committed Baptist, became president of the Baptist Union in 1928 and was known for his philanthropy, donating towards the AR Doggart Memorial Hall in Darlington, which opened in 1932.
His sons — Alexander, Norman, Graham, and James — continued the business.
Graham Doggart, born in Bishop Auckland, went on to captain the England football team in 1923 and later became chairman of the Football Association in the 1960s.
Closure and Decline
By the late 1970s, the business was struggling to compete with larger national retailers such as Debenhams and Binns.
Rising wage costs, inflation and the shift towards self-service shopping made it increasingly difficult for Doggarts’ family-run model to survive.
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In November 1980, the Doggart family announced that the company would enter liquidation, leading to the closure of its remaining 11 stores and the loss of 340 jobs.
The Bishop Auckland store closed for the final time on Christmas Eve 1980, bringing an end to 86 years of trading.
A Lasting Place in Local Memory
Despite its closure more than four decades ago, Doggarts continues to hold a special place in local history and affection.
Brenda Summers said her wedding dress came from the store in Durham, while others described afternoons spent in the café after Christmas shopping.
Gordon Coatsworth summed up the sentiment shared by many: “Loved that store, especially Saturday afternoons in the café with friends after a few pints.”
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