The shop was opened by Ernest Whiteley in 1901 and was eventually passed down to his granddaughter Ann Clough. Ms Clough was a well-known Bridlington resident and she ran the shop from approximately 1960 .
Sue Walker worked with Ms Clough for 35 years and took over running the shop when Ms Clough was admitted to a care home around three years ago.
Ms Clough died aged 90 in November 2023, however her legacy at Ernest Whiteley and Co is still strong- with Sue continuing to sell the stock and run the shop the way Ms Clough liked until it is eventually sold.
Sue said: “Ann never wanted to change things in the shop. Her grandfather paid over £1000 for the cases in the 1930s, which was an awful lot of money back then.
“He spent all of his life making that money and spent so much time making the shop what it was, she did not want to change it. It’s history!
“We never took credit cards, it was cash or cheque only and we never went online. She was an absolute technophobe.
“Ms Clough was opinionated and was very much of her era and quite traditional in her thoughts.
“If you came into the shop and started touching things on the rails- she would tell you off! She would always say ‘you look with your eyes not your hands’.
“Everything was pen and paper- the accounts were all hand written and all the stock takes were hand counted. It used to take at least a month to do it! She would then designate time to copy it all into her stock book. She was so old school.
“The shop will have to be sold unfortunately. Bridlington will not realise what a loss it is until the shop is boarded up and gone- most people have grown up with this shop being here on the Promenade.”
Visit here for more information about Ann Clough and her life.
1. Ernest Whiteley and Co in Bridlington
The iconic shop has been part of Bridlington's Promenade since its conception in 1901. Photo: Richard Ponter
2. Ernest Whiteley and Co in Bridlington
Here is a look at the iconic interior of the shop, which has barely changed since it first opened. Photo: Richard Ponter
3. Ernest Whiteley and Co in Bridlington
Sue Walker took over running the store when Ann Clough was admitted to a care home in Bridlington, however Ann still enjoyed visiting and making sure it was being run the way she wanted. Photo: Richard Ponter
4. Ernest Whiteley and Co in Bridlington
Here is Ann Clough (central left), next to Sue Walker (central right) holding the shop's special centenary clock in 2001. Photo: Richard Ponter