THE last of the original Tron Court traders has retired at the weekend with many loyal customers turning up to say their fond farewells.

Wilson Orr of Tron Barbers, who had previously been described as a “pillar of the community”, hang the scissors up after 52 years of cutting and styling.

He did so with a “heavy heart” along with wife and helper Anne, thanking his many customers who are “more like friends who I will miss immensely”.

The sun came out for the retirement party on Saturday, June 1, after what was a rainy week with those gathered enjoying food and drinks outside the iconic shop.

Wilson’s scissors stopped at 3pm on the day and his last customer was the very man who was first brave enough to sit in his chair many decades ago: his uncle Frank.

Now aged 95, it is understood that Frank had built a shed for Wilson in his mother’s back garden when he was just an apprentice barber and was his first customer there.

More than five decades later, Frank had the honour of being the last one to go under Wilson’s scissors.

“It was pretty emotional”, explained Gemma Drysdale, daughter of late Tullibody stalwart Donald Drysdale of Tron Café.

She helped throw the party of the day and such was the volume of people coming along, a whole urn of stovies and a full urn of soup were all happily consumed.

Gemma added: “It was great day, the weather had been horrendous for the Thursday and the Friday but the Saturday it really dried up so we had the tables outside.

“Everybody had a great time, the atmosphere was brilliant.”

She also remembers the time when Tron Barbers was flanked by Wilson and wife Anne’s other business Tron Sports, a place where many local young people at the time procured their fishing equipment of a pair of new trainers.

Gemma, whose dad tragically never saw retirement, said: “I’m so glad that he’s retired and he’s going to enjoy it now."

It is understood the shop will remain a barbers’ under new management.