The manager of the oldest jewellers in Harrogate has said he expects the store will close by Christmas.
The Stray Ferret revealed two weeks ago that A.Fattorini The Jewellers had announced it planned to cease trading after 190 years.
Anthony Tindall, the manager of the shop and great-great grandson of its founder, has not set a closing date yet. But he said today it will close when stock expires in a few weeks time, probably before Christmas.
Customers have flocked to the shop on Parliament Street since news broke of its closure.
Mr Tindall insisted that there were currently no confirmed buyers and that he intended to go ahead with the closure, despite rumours that a buyer had been lined up.
Mr Tindall’s great, great grandfather Antonio Fattorini founded the business in 1831. His son, Antonio junior, moved it to Parliament Street in the 1880s.
He said if a buyer was found he hoped they would continue the Fattorini name — but this was definitely the end of the line for his family.
Mr Tindall said the decision to sell was a difficult one but it was time for him to retire and none of his family was eager to take it on.
‘This is the end for my family’
Mr Tindall said the rapid rate at which items were selling meant stock was beginning to “peter out”.
He added:
“We’d love to last until Christmas but if we have to close before then we will. If there’s no stock left then we will be closing.”
Jewellery is on sale for as much as 50% off.
Talking of the decision to close he said:
“I started looking at buyers a few years ago when I knew I needed to retire, we have a few offers but nothing confirmed yet. Inevitably we’ve had people get in touch since the sale but nothing has been confirmed.
“I’m going, you won’t see me here again. This is the end for my family.
“It could be that no one picks it up and it’s an empty site. I’d love to see someone take on the name and keep it as a jeweller.”
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Fattorini connection to the FA Cup
Antonio Fattorini set up another store in Bradford, Fattorini & Sons, with his sons John and Edward, who designed and manufactured football’s FA Cup in 1911. Remarkably, Bradford City then won the cup that year.
Mr Fattorini’s other son, Antonio junior, stayed to run the Harrogate business.
Mr Tindall said the response from customers since news of the shop’s demise had been surprising:
“I always thought people loved us but I didn’t know how much, I was worried we’d have no one at all. We’ve had people whose grandparents got their engagement rings here and are coming back.”
