DAPPER Pete Doré has dressed five generations of Swindon men in his career as a gents outfitter.

But now at the age of 75 he is finally hanging up his tape measure for good, to the dismay of his regulars – some of whom are fifth generation customers.

And it means Jensons of Gorse Hill, the last traditional menswear shop in town, will close after 38 years.

“It is people that make this world and every day you are speaking to somebody different or an old friend. That’s the thing I will probably miss most,” he said yesterday.

Pete, who went into the clothing trade as a fresh-faced 15-year-old straight from school, moved into the shop in Cricklade Road after deciding to set up his own business.

Before then he had worked for major chains including Foster Bros and McIlroy’s menswear, starting out as a shop boy and learning the trade from the bottom.

Much of his career has been in Swindon, although he also spent time working in Cirencester where he was a buyer.

He was a retail manager when he decided the time was right to strike out on his own after increasing trade at his branch by thousands of pounds

He found the premises – a shoe store that had shut down – and opened up his own shop.

Deciding against using his own name, he came up with Jensons of Gorse Hill. “In Cirencester they were all gentlemen and their sons,” he explained. “Gents and sons became Jensons.”

With the help of his wife Brenda, the business grew. They worked so hard they were able to pay off their mortgage by the time Pete was 48.

He would go round up to eight shops every evening picking up clothes for alteration. After putting their two children to bed, he and Brenda, a skilled alterations tailor, would work late into the night so they could be returned.

If he has a favourite fashion period then it is wide lapels and flares of the 1970s. “They were the most flamboyant.”

Since he announced his retirement there has been a steady flow of customers coming in to say goodbye.

“I’ve had comments like: ‘I used to come here for my school uniform',” he said.

“When they came in for schools uniforms they also hired prom outfits, that led to when they got married coming back for their wedding outfits and their offspring coming in for their wedding outfits.”

He and Brenda plan to spend more time enjoying walking and ballroom dancing. Pete also wants to do more videography.