Lanark’s Glaisters to close after almost 200 years

AFTER almost 200 years, the iconic Lanark business Glaisters the Builders is to close down.
By Ron Harris
Published 6th Feb 2015, 07:00 BST
To close...Glaisters, run by the late Tom Glaister (pictured) for many yearsTo close...Glaisters, run by the late Tom Glaister (pictured) for many years
To close...Glaisters, run by the late Tom Glaister (pictured) for many years

Founded on the same site on Cleghorn Road it has occupied since 1823, it is thought that only Jacks the Ironmongers has a longer business heritage in the town.

However, Glaisters is by far the oldest firm continuously run by the same family.

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While the number of full-time jobs lost will be relatively small at eight, the closure comes as a bodyblow to Lanark pride and prestige.

The confirmation of the closure was made to the Gazette on Friday afternoon by John Melville, partner in the firm with his wife Joanne, daughter of the late Tom Glaister who died just last year.

He revealed to the Gazette that the final downfall of the company, which existed from eight years after the Battle of Waterloo through the reigns of eight monarchs and two World Wars, was brought about by a modern curse of small businesses.

“It was simply that bills weren’t being paid to us promptly enough, especially by the larger firms we supplied,” said John.