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One of Hartlepool’s oldest independent businesses is celebrating its 100th birthday.

Shoe repair and key cutting shop Bensons, in York Road, in the heart of the town centre was founded in 1923 by Arthur Benson senior.

Originally based in the town’s Burn Road, it specialised in leather goods, particularly making saddles for horses which were then the most common mode of transport.

Exactly 100 years later, the business is still going strong and remains in family hands with the fifth generation now serving the community.

Left to right: Shaun, Geoff and Liam Carr with long-time employee Ian Corser outside Bensons in York Road, Hartlepool. Picture by FRANK REID

Arthur’s great-grandson Geoff Carr owns the shop and is joined behind the counter by his sons Liam, 32, and Shaun 28.

Geoff, 60, who started working for the business from a young age, said: "We’ve been going a long time.

"Then my granda took over when we were in Burn Road, and then over time we’ve come to need more foot traffic so we’ve come onto York Road.

"A lot’s changed over the years but we’re still doing a bit of manufacturing of leather goods.

Arthur Benson Senior started his leather goods business in Burn Road, Hartlepool in 1923.

“I feel very proud, and more proud of the fact my sons are taking over. That’s the biggest thing.”

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Shaun started digging into its history when the family realised the special anniversary was coming up.

The exact date that the business started has been lost to the mists of time.

The original shop in Burn Road, Hartlepool.

But Shaun uncovered much unknown information about Arthur and later generations and found lots of old photographs.

He said: “Arthur junior and the Burn Road shop is a very nostalgic time for some people. We often get messages about the smell of leather in the shop and seeing the old man in the shop with his pipe and hat on.”

They still regularly get brought items that either or Geoff or his grandfather made for repair.

Beamish museum once wanted to buy the Burn Road shop with all of Arthur’s tools and transport it brick by brick.

Arthur Benson junior took over the business from his father.

Over the years the business has branched out into other goods and services including selling shoe and rugs.

Following 15 years in Middleton Grange, Bensons opened in York Road in 2006.

The future looks bright with the shop nearing the end of a significant extension which has seen the shop space downstairs almost double.

The rug department upstairs has also been made larger.

Hartlepool business Bensons celebrates its 100th birthday