SHOP premises that currently house a family business that has been in Taunton for nearly 200 years could be turned into a motor museum.

Bosses at The County Stores, which has a food hall and sells groceries and gifts, confirmed this week it will close its outlet in North Street at the end of trading on Saturday, January 5.

The directors are currently in talks with a Taunton man over the sale of the three-storey prime site premises, which could fetch around £1 million.

James Duder, one of the directors at the 186-year-old firm, which has been in the family for five generations, said: "The process has started - it's gone to solicitors.

"The interested private person from Taunton hopes to put in a car museum on the ground floor, with a cafe at the front.

"There would be motorcycles upstairs. Of course, it all needs planning approval first."

If the deal goes through, the buyer would not need to pay business rates on the museum as it would be classed as a charitable venture, although the cafe would attract rates.

Staff were given redundancy notices in October after the directors admitted defeat in their struggle for several years with challenging conditions in the retail sector.


READ MORE: The County Stores, Taunton, to close


But Taunton Post Office, which has been based at the back of The County Stores since January 2014 and was also due to close next month, has been given a three-month reprieve.

A Post Office spokesman said: "We are pleased to confirm Taunton Post Office, which was due to close on January 5, will now remain open until March 31, 2019.

"From January 5, Saturday opening hours will change, the branch will close at 1pm rather than 5.30pm. The same wide range of Post Office services will be available for the community."

It is believed proposals had been mooted prior to this week's announcement to site the post office in a temporary building in Castle Green until a permanent home could be found.

But it is understood bosses are now hopeful of negotiating for space at the WH Smith store in Fore Street once The County Stores deal runs out.

WH Smith already hosts more than 100 post offices in its stores nationwide and it was announced in October that 41 post offices would relocate to the stationery giant's premises in 2019, taking the total to more than 200.


Somerset County Gazette: County Stores, which will be hone to the new post office in Taunton town centre.

A part of the fabric of Taunton...

COUNTY Stores is a name embroided throughout the fabric of Taunton's history over the past 180 years or so.

It was established around 1832, originating as a boot and shoe repairer in North Street.

That business went bankrupt and the premises became known, for a short period, as the Somerset Tea Warehouse.

Later, mentioned in the records of 1867, the name Duder became familiar - and remains so.

The store attempted to go upmarket, with the introduction of a coffee bean roaster and blender.


READ MORE: 'I bought my wedding dress at County Stores' - readers share their memories


The move was a huge success, with County Stores becoming a big name not just in Taunton, but across this part of Somerset.

Around 1916, branches were listed in Ilminster, Wiveliscombe, Langport, Kingston St Mary and Milverton.

But as times have changed in the retail sector, so County Stores has changed with them.

On January 5, 2019, one particular thread of Taunton history will be sewn up...