The economic crisis during the early years of the 21st century resulted in a record number of shop closures throughout our towns and cities. The situation was also exacerbated by an increasing number of people turning to Internet shopping and with increased costs for the business rate, heating, lighting and the employment of staff, high streets throughout Britain were badly hit. These are some of the shops that closed in Bourne and are recorded here to give future generations a glimpse of the way it was.

The popular Rowland's Sewing Centre in North Street closed
in the summer of 2004.

T R Carlton, DIY and hardware shop in Abbey Road, closed in 2007 after trading in the town for over fifty years. The businesses of vehicle body shop and funeral directors which operated from premises next door were sold separately in 2005.

The cut price store Hereward Discounts closed suddenly in 2009 and after standing empty for two years was sold in January 2012. The new owners turned the property into a beauty salon and fitness centre.

Paper Chain in North Street closed early in 2012 although the company preferred to say that the business was transferred to another branch, McColls in West Street, although this is actually a mini-supermarket.

Walker's Books. the town's only bookshop, closed in in August 2012 after trading for the past five years.

Anglia Home Furnishings (AHF) in Manning Road, owned by Co-operative stores, closed in August 2012.

The cafe and snack takeaway known as Bunters closed in the summer of 2013 and the premises were taken over by a new food outlet specialising in Thai cuisine.

The shop at No 6a South Street was a popular call for teddy bear fans for many years, also known as Friends of Bourne and located in a Grade II listed building near the town centre with a teddy bear hospital on site. But in these days of rising costs, selling teddy bears is no picnic and the business closed in 2013.

The popular and busy electronics family business in North Street was founded in 1948 by television pioneer Jack Wand (1925-13) who overcame a childhood disability to succeed and to be honoured by the Queen with an MBE but Internet shopping and the high business rate was been blamed for its closure in May 2015 and the site is now being sold.