A popular school uniform shop in Chatham town centre is set to close and relocate. School Time is opening a new store at the site of the former Penguin Suits shop in the High Street, near B&M. The move from its current home in Railway Street is planned to happen by the end of April. While a specific opening date has not yet been announced, its existing store will remain open as usual in the meantime. School Time director Diane Bathe launched the business in 1991 with her friend, starting with uniform for the school their children attended. Just three years later, School Time won the Medway Retailer of the Year award in 1994. The business partners then went on to open their shop in 1995 after the school wear firm Kinch & Lack went into liquidation. Commenting on the relocation, Diane said: "We are having to relocate due to redevelopment but are looking forward to new beginnings. "We are hoping for as less disruption as possible in the final stages of the move." School Time now stocks uniform for over 40 schools, including Strood Academy and Fort Pitt Grammar School, as well as dance wear and supplies for Rainbows, Brownies and Guides groups. Alongside School Time, Diane also runs an in-house embroidery service. Diane explained: "My Business partner retired in 2018 and my daughter was working for us so she became the Manager and now helps me run the business. "In 1996 we purchased an industrial Embroidery Machine and started embroidering our own garments. "We then purchased more Machines over time and now have 6 machines plus 2 Printers and a Vinyl cutter and set up a subsidiary business called Medway Embroidery doing printing and Embroidery." The embroidery firm now has a large customer base of businesses placing orders for work wear and corporate wear. The prominent building on the corner of Medway Street and the High Street was occupied by family-run tailors Penguin Suits since 1985, until it closed last year.
Before that it was a Midland Bank branch, which has since become part of HSBC. Estate agents Sibley Pares put the empty store on the market last June for an annual rent of £25,500. Comments are closed.
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August 2023
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