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Ask any parent who’s bought Geox before and they’ll likely tell you the same thing: the feet come home drier. It sounds like a small thing and perhaps it is, but when you’re sending a child into school for six or seven hours at a stretch, a shoe that actively helps keep feet fresh and comfortable makes a genuine difference to how they feel by the end of the day. Geox built their reputation on their patented Respira breathable technology, which allows heat and moisture to escape through a perforated... Read More

If Start-Rite is the brand parents often come in asking for by name, Petasil is the one they tend to leave having discovered. It’s a quieter label, less heavily marketed than some , but among our team it’s held in genuinely high regard. Petasil shoes are built from quality leather, designed with serious attention to fit and foot health, and they have a classic, grown-up aesthetic that makes them particularly popular for older primary and secondary school children. We asked our team to pick their favourite Petasil school shoes for... Read More

Our team has over a century of combined fitting experience. Here are the four Start-Rite school shoes they’ve chosen for 2026 and why they love them. When it comes to school shoes, nobody knows them quite like the people who fit them every day. Between our team at W.J. French & Son, we have well over a hundred years of fitting experience — some of our staff have been helping families find the right shoes for 20, 30, even 60 years. So when we asked them to put together their... Read More

For a brand like Mephisto, comfort is only part of the story. What really makes people loyal to Mephisto is how the shoes continue to feel after hours on your feet, whether you’re walking around a city on holiday, spending the day sightseeing, or simply wanting everyday shoes that still feel good at the end of a busy day. At W. J. French & Son, Mephisto has built a strong following with both customers and staff thanks to its combination of premium materials, supportive comfort and long-lasting quality. So we... Read More

Independent shops bring variety and expertise to the high street where owners and employees are passionate and knowledgeable about what they do and the products they sell. We employ local people which helps create vibrant local communities and a healthy local economy.  We also give back to the local community through donations, sponsorships and organising local events.   In a time where the High Street has many chain stores, independents bring much needed originality and variety to the area.  W J French & Son is one of the oldest family shoe retailers... Read More