ONE of Otley’s oldest businesses is moving away - ending a 151 year association with the town.

The Barber family’s roots in the tobacco trade stretch back to 1876 when Joseph Barber, great-grandfather of the current owner, James, founded the business in Otley.

Joseph had travelled to the USA as a carpet bagger and went on to obtain plots of land in Virginia and Kentucky, where he set up tobacco plantations.

Despite some dangerous run-ins - including an armed battle with the Ku Klux Klan - he prospered and ended up crossing the Atlantic more than 30 times.

Over the ensuing century and a half the Barber tobacconist business became, as it passed through different generations, synonymous with Otley. But James Barber has now announced that the firm, with its Artamis Gifts offshoot, will be relocating to Harrogate* next Spring in a bid to safeguard its future.

He said: “I’m really sorry to be moving. My roots are here, I can trace my ancestry back 400 years in Otley, and I still have family members here.

“But business is business and we can’t just sit here and lose money.

“We realised about ten years ago that a lot of our customers needed somewhere to park, so we moved from our last Kirkgate shop to our current premises on Westgate due to the proximity to the car park.

“That worked well until last year when we saw a decline in footfall that I think was due, in part, to the rise of Internet shopping.

“We do a lot of our business online but it was getting to the point where our web trade was propping up the shop and that wasn’t viable, so we’ve decided to downsize and head to somewhere that’s a little more touristy.”

He added: “We’ll be setting up a click and collect system for our loyal customers in Otley, so they can order things online and still have somewhere to pick it up without having to pay a shipping charge.”

Residents have been quick to wish the business well and local councillors have echoed those sentiments. Chair of Otley Town Council’s Trade and Tourism Committee, Councillor Paul Carter (Lib Dem, West Chevin), said: “We are obviously sad to see Barbers go but wish them every success in the future.”

Council Chair Councillor Ray Georgeson (Lib Dem, Danefield) added: “They have been an Otley fixture for many a year and we know many will be sad to see them leave. We wish them well and thank them for their contribution to Otley’s life over the generations.”

*The firm’s new location, from March/April, will be on Cold Bath Road, Harrogate.