An electronics engineer is set to switch off his retail career next month after more than 35 years in the town centre.

Roy Gooderson, who runs RG electronics in Oxford Street, is shutting up shop and making way for a Norwegian interior design company.

The 59-year-old, who still intends to carry on as an engineer, is holding a closing down sale at the shop which has sold equipment ranging from phones, radios and lighting since 1981.

He said: “Obviously it is a sad time as I have had the shop in Whitstable for 36 years.

“It is what I have become used to doing but it is now time to stop the retail side of it.

“Although we still have a steady stream of regular customers come into the shop, more and more people are just buying the smaller items so it is not profitable anymore.”

Mr Gooderson, who owns the property and a number of other properties in the town, puts the decrease in sales down to the rise of online shopping.

“People don’t need to come into the shop anymore as it is easier to buy online,” he said.

“We’ve had to keep up with the times as technology is ever-changing - we’ve sold radios, TVs, mobile phones and even metal detectors.

“This is not the end, Whitstable has been good for business and I am walking away in a nice position.

“Installation work with radios, audio and telephones will continue and also we supply public address systems for the Oyster Festival and 10k runs so there is still plenty to be doing.”

Mr Gooderson has now signed a five-year lease with a Norwegian interior design company.

He said: “They are a well established business and have been running for 25 years. They will move into the shop in May and it will then be called Scandinavian Touch.

“They are a good business to have as I know that I won’t be having the keys to the property posted back through the letter box - they will be successful.”