Historic Chichester insurance broker says farewell to customers after almost 100 years of service

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A historic Chichester insurance broker said goodbye to customers for the last time earlier this month, marking an end to nearly 100 years of devoted service.

PC Petter and Sons dates back to 1932, when Percy Petter, a life assurance salesman working for London and Manchester, started up in Chichester selling motor and home insurance and grew with the addition of his son Michael in 1958.

It's been a city institution ever since; working from a building - affectionately known as 'The Shed' - at the back of his home in Avenue Approach, Percy, his family members and a team of loyal staff served businesses, homeowners and motorists all over the country.

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"We’ve had clients from all walks of life” said Jackie Petter, Percy’s granddaughter, who took over from her father Michael. “It's been a real privilege because everyone brings something different to the table in terms of experience.”

Staff at PC Petter and Son.Staff at PC Petter and Son.
Staff at PC Petter and Son.

But no matter how busy they got, or how glamorous the clientele, PC Petter and Sons never left the old shed behind and, eventually, it became something of a claim to fame.

“I think the shed is what a lot of Chichester folk will remember us for. It’s either that or, going way back, Percy driving around in his motorbike, his little dog in the sidecar, doing his rounds in Chichester. They were a well-known Chichester duo.”

But, earlier this month, it all came to an end after Jackie and her team agreed to close up shop for the last time. It was a tough decision, she said, but, with the insurance world changing and crucial staff members looking to retire, it felt like the right time.

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"There were a lot of factors involved, but the main thing was to make sure that our clients were looked after going forward, that was always the main thing,” added Kevin McCarthy, who joined the company in 1968 and worked closely with previous owner Michael. "We’ve always had a great relationship with our clients – so it was important to give them that continuity,” Kevin added.

To that end, clients have been passed onto another Chichester insurance-broking firm Howdens, A-Plans which has a modern office in Little London. What’s more, three members of the PC Petter team – Kevin, Eddie and Julia – will be working with the company, so clients won’t have to go far for the same friendly faces and personal service.

"We’re all very emotional,” Jackie explained. “It’s the end of an era, after all. But we’re proud, too. Proud of all the years that we’ve served the community and everything we’ve done for people.

Even so, many of the company’s clients have been with them for decades, passing down business from one generation to the next – and it’s almost no surprise that the closure has been as moving for them as for the staff themselves.

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“It’s hard not just for the staff who’ve served us so loyally for so many years, but our clients too. We've had some really tremendous clients over the years who’ve been hugely supportive. When we told people we were closing, we got letters from clients we had people coming in to thank us for our work over the years,” Kevin said. “We would like to publicly thank them all for their support and friendship.”

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