Fond farewell to Whites Sports

WARRINGTON Wolves’ star Ryan Atkins and club mascot Wolfie were on hand to help bid a fond farewell to Whites Sports on Warrington Market – which will be closing down soon after 113 years trading.
Once a chain of shops in Stockton Heath, Knutsford and Warrington current owner Susan White has decided it is now time to retire.
To celebrate their 113 years of trading as a family business she resurrected the 1974 ‘Whites Sports Darts Trophy Challenge’ when she was joined by customers young and old, past and present, along with Warrington Wolves’ Mascot Wolfie and player Ryan Atkins.
The business was established by Mr J.E.White in April 1901 and eventually handed the business onto his eldest son, Norman White in 1940, who then past it onto his two sons John and Paul White in 1969.
Since losing John and Paul in 2009 and 2007, Paul’s wife Susan (68) has successfully run the business in Warrington Market.
She was a keen badminton player in the 1960’s and after marrying Paul in 1969 became a big Wires fan and took up competitive fencing during the 1970’s.
She was then an aerobics instructor across the town during the 1980’s and in more recent years she has taken up yoga, pilates and aqua aerobics.
Fourth generation family member Adam White with help from brother, Roger and cousin Nick White have been busy helping Susan organise the closure and also taking the shop online in recent months.
Susan said: “It’s now time for me to retire and spend more quality time with my family and friends. I’m looking forward to getting out in my garden this summer and being able to have time off to hopefully watch Warrington Wolves win the Challenge Cup and
Grand Final.”
She said it hadn’t been an easy decision to call it a day but it has become increasingly difficult to compete with website based shops and the out of town multiples.
“One hundred and thirteen years is quite an achievement to sustain any family business and behalf of all the White family I’d like to say a huge thank you to all our past and present customers, staff and fellow traders that have been loyal and good friends to Whites Sports Shop over the years. ”
Adam White, Susan’s youngest son added: “We may be leaving the town centre but will still be trading and sharing our 113 year
heritage online at www.whitessports.com. The website will allow customers to continue to purchase their favourite flags, darts, bowls and snooker
accessories from Whites Sports.”
From the late 1960’s to the mid 1980’s they also had shops in Stockton Heath, opened by Liverpool and England ‘66 world cup winner Roger Hunt
and Knutsford (opened by rugby league legend Alex Murphy.
Last year Whites Sports were invited to enter the Guinness World Records as the ‘Worlds Oldest Family Run Sports Shop’. The judges are now doing their final investigations whilst assessing the supporting evidence. The White family are now just weeks away from finding out if they have made it into the record books.
If you would like to share a photo or story about the shop either visit their Facebook page or drop them an email at [email protected]
The business will close for the last time in May.

Pictures shows Susan appearing in front of the TV cameras when she was joined by Wolfie and Ryan Atkins at the Whites Sports Darts Trophy Challenge and with sons Adam and Roger (above).