A CARPET company is relocating after nearly 75 years due to spiralling maintenance costs.

LT Carpets has been based in the same store in Timberlog Lane, Basildon, since it was opened in 1942 by Len Tipthorpe. He ran it for nearly 50 years.

When he retired, brothers Gary and Darren Laver, who grew up in Basildon and who had known Mr Tipthorpe since they were teenagers, took over the store. He has managed to keep everything in its original layout.

The store is now moving due to the state of the building.

Store manager Richard Eames, 35, of Church Road, Pitsea, said: “The original store is in a state of disrepair and it would need to close for about six months to carry out the maintenance so we have decided to move.

“It is a shame as there is quite a lot of history to the Timberlog Lane store as it has been trading for such a long time.

“The business has a lot of charm; I think that’s why people have remained so loyal to it over the years and why it is so well known in Basildon.

“It has hardly changed, everything is still done with pen and paper and there are no computer systems.

“It is such a friendly and approachable business and people know they are getting good advice.

“We have a lot of regulars who we really value and see lots of generations of families. They buy for their homes, then their children’s rooms, who then buy for their homes and children.

“There is one woman I saw recently who I told: ‘Hardly a day goes by that we don’t see a member of your family in here!’”

The owners have an additional store, called CarpetSense, in High Road, Laindon. LT Carpets will now be incorporated into that store.

Mr Eames, who has been at the store for 15 years, added: “There will inevitably be some changes but we hope to keep a lot of the charm and friendliness of LT Carpets.”