Stamford’s Black Orchid, which did have shops in Oakham, Uppingham and Grantham, to close as owners plan retirement

A shop which has been part of a town centre scene for 40 years will be closing when the owners retire later this year.

Kate and Craig Benson first opened Black Orchid, an eclectic clothes shop which got its name from a DC Comics character, in Stamford in 1986.

Over the years they have had stores in Uppingham, Oakham and Grantham which gradually closed as part of their plans to slow down, and soon they will be bidding farewell to their flagship store.

Craig, 67, said: “I’m looking forward to retirement - I feel as though I’m running out of perkiness.”

Having a shop was always the goal for Kate who, after studying textile design at college, spent years in London learning the tricks of the trade on the shop floor and in fashion buying.

She secured a high-flying job for high street clothing brand Monsoon as area manager covering from Norwich and Cambridge up to Manchester and Newcastle. Despite this, the dream of owning a shop never faltered.

Because they needed money to support Black Orchid in its early days, former primary school teacher Craig was enlisted to run the shop while Kate made sure their bills were paid.

“I had no idea what I was doing, other than knowing I had to sell stuff but people in Stamford were very kind to me,” said Craig.

The pair, who met at college in York and had been living in London, weren’t local to Stamford, but after visiting for a weekend decided the town’s atmosphere fitted with their arty and quirky vision.

For more than 30 years the shop was based in Stamford Walk before upsizing to its current home in St Mary’s Street.

Kate, 67, said: “We liked the idea of Bath but couldn’t afford it and Brighton, but all of the ranges we wanted to stock were already supplied to other businesses there.

“My parents lived near to Stamford at the time.

“We sat in a coffee shop above Sinclairs and people watched. We saw enough potential customers to think we could do it.”

However, bank managers disagreed and told the couple there were already too many clothes shops in Stamford. There were five.

Resolute on their vision, Craig and Kate borrowed money from family and friends, who were all paid back within a year.

“We knew the market better than a bank manager,” said Craig.

Over the past four decades the pair have enjoyed milestone moments such as getting married at Stamford registry office in a spur of the moment decision to tie the knot, and the birth of their daughter Daisy, who is now 37.

“Working together has been fine bizarrely - you wouldn’t think it would,” Craig said.

“Kate is the brains of the operations and understands the buying and selling.

“I serve very little purpose - I just stand here and look,” Craig joked, while wearing a red blazer and diamante studded shoes.

A closing date has not been set - although it will be after Easter and before June - but a retirement sale has begun to get rid of stock.

“We are not selling the business,” Kate explained.

“We wouldn’t want someone to ruin it.”

The couple’s two staff members Sue, who has worked there for 35 years, and Karen, who started 19 years ago, will be retiring at the same time.