After more than 150 years of early mornings serving generations of shoppers, one of the world's oldest greengrocers JJ Blair and Sons has closed for the final time.
It follows the death of long-standing owner Robin Blair, who died aged 81 in July following a short illness.
The greengrocer has stood at the heart of Darlington market since 1875, passing through five generations of the same family.
Robin Blair served the community for decades
But for those standing around the fruit and veg stall on its closing day, it is about far more than losing somewhere to buy a bag of carrots.
Some customers have been coming to Blairs for more than half a century, and others can barely remember a time when the greengrocer was not part of their weekly routine.
Staff at JJ Blair and Sons on the closing day
There were flowers, final purchases and emotional goodbyes as staff served customers for the last time.
Monica has been shopping at the family business since 1968.
Customer Monica who has shopped at the greengrocer for decades.
She said: “It’s the saddest day. I’m just going to miss everyone so much. I’ve been coming here since 1968.
“It’s the saddest thing that they are closing. Darlington was fabulous back in the day, it had the market outside with 150 stalls. Now it’s empty, there’s nothing left.”
Another familiar face saying goodbye was Stephen Cambridge, who has been buying his fruit and veg from Blairs since 1988.
For him, the closure represents the disappearance of another family business from the town.
He said: “It feels particularly sad they are closing. The problem I think you've got with a lot of these businesses, is that there's no succession anymore. It is definitely the end of an era.
“But you never know, there might be a phoenix rise. You never know. You've got to be optimistic about it.”
Jasmine Robson, owner of Hash, has relied on Blairs for fruit for 21 years and arrived with a bouquet of flowers to thank the team.
Jasmine Robson, owner of Hash, has relied on Blairs for fruit for 21 years
She said: “We've always got our fruit from them every week, for 21 years really.
“We always just ring up, put the order in and they bring the fruit to us. We see them every week.
“It’s nice they are about to enjoy themselves as I think everyone’s stayed working here to keep it going, but hopefully it is a time of relaxation for them now.
“I bought them some flowers today to say thank you and goodbye. We always have a chat every time we come in, so it’s such a shame.”
But the emotion was felt strongest by those who have spent decades serving customers behind the counter.
For Dave Gaskin, 72, life at Blairs has meant years of 3am alarms, and long days in often freezing North East weather to help get produce ready.
He said: “I have my alarm set for just after three in the morning, I’m straight up, washed and away.
“I’ve done it for a long, long time. You get used to it.
“In the summer months at the nursery, we could sometimes work until ten o’clock at night. By the time you got home and got yourself to bed, you weren’t in bed for very long before you were back up and doing it all again the next day.”
He added: “I really enjoyed working here. Robin was a good boss to work for. He was very calm and collected and he was always fair.”
Christine Hanlon, 69, has worked at Blairs for more than 34 years.
Christine Hanlon has worked at the grocer for three decades.
Visibly emotional, she said: “It’s very sad. It’s like losing part of your family. There is a feeling of grieving because it has been such a big part of my life for so long.
“When everything first happened, there was so much going on and the adrenaline kicked in. We were trying to keep the stall working and looking good for Robin, and then all of a sudden it hits you.
“It is going to be very sad to see it close.”
She added: “I’ve been here for more than 34 years and it hasn’t just been part of my life, it’s been part of my family’s life as well.
“My daughter did her work experience at the nursery when she was at school, and my grandson did his work experience there last year.
“Robin wasn’t just a boss, he was a friend. I think that’s why he kept us all so close. This was his family.
“Sometimes you feel for the customers because they’re asking us, ‘Where are we going to go now?’ Some of them don’t want to go to the supermarkets. The market used to be bustling, and now it just doesn’t feel the same.
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“It’s a shame to see the direction it has gone in. This is definitely the end of an era for Darlington.”
Robin Blair, the founder’s grandson, had worked at the stall for more than 70 years and was Darlington’s longest-serving market trader.
The Blair family’s nursery on Barmpton Lane, where some plants and flowers are grown, will remain open after the market stall closes.