Neuhaus and Tim Boury reinvent giandujaJoules to close Harrogate shop

Fashion retailer Joules is to close its Harrogate shop.

The company has put a notice in the window of its store on James Street announcing its closure on Saturday, May 20.

The large Harrogate shop, which is believed to employ about 10 staff, is currently selling many items at half price.

The notice does not give a reason for the decision but says:

“We’d like to thank you lovely lot for supporting us over the years.”

It adds the nearest Joules store will be in Ilkley.

The notice in the window

Joules’ closure is the second blow for James Street in just over a month. Cards, gifts and stationery company Paperchase closed its shop at the end of March.

Joules was founded in 1989 when Tom Joule began selling clothing on a stall at a country show in Leicestershire. It now sells menswear, womenswear, kidswear and accessories across UK and Ireland.

In 2016, Joules was floated on the stock market for £140m. But in November last year it fell into administration until Next rescued it by paying £34 million for the business, plus £7 million for the head office site.

The Stray Ferret has attempted to contact Joules for further information about the Harrogate shop.

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Jules B to open in Harrogate in September

Luxury fashion retailer Jules B said today it hopes to open in Harrogate in September.

The Stray Ferret revealed in April the company planned to trade in the former Jaeger unit on Cambridge Crescent.

The retailer sells women’s designer brands including Holland Cooper, Hayley Menzies, Stine Goya, Oska and Lurdes Bergada.

The Harrogate shop, which will be the company’s sixth store, has been empty since Jaeger cleared its stock in January last year. But it is now set to reopen in the second week of September.

The shop, which will sell womenswear only, will feature an autumn and winter collection when it opens.

An artist’s impression of how the shop will look.

Julian Blades, managing director of Jules B, has said its brands “will be perfect for the sophisticated customer demographic in Harrogate and surrounding areas”

The retailer is currently recruiting for full-time and part-time staff for Harrogate, including a store manager and assistant store manager.

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Several national retailers, including Pret A Manger and Hotel Chocolat, have announced they will join Harrogate’s high street recently.

Oliver Bonas is also due to open in September.

Mr Blades and his wife, Rhona, opened their first womenswear store in Jesmond in 1984.

Harrogate’s Pots2Go to re-open in new town centre shop tomorrow

Ceramic cafe Pots2Go will reopen in a new, larger shop on Harrogate’s Beulah Street tomorrow.

The shop, previously located on Montpellier Parade, closed on Christmas Eve to prepare for the move into new premises.

Owner Zoë Hill said they had outgrown the old shop and now had 13 tables instead of just five.

Customers can now enjoy pottery painting, children’s parties and coffee and cake in more spacious surroundings.

It also means customers can just walk-in whereas limited space in the old shop meant booking was essential.

The upstairs area includes two benches for people to paint alone or in small groups.

The shop still offers a range of children’s activities, including make-a-bear sessions, slime and foam clay parties.

Ms Hill said:

“We’re really excited, obviously it’s a massive risk but we had to just go for it. We’ve got lots of bookings so it hasn’t put anyone off.”

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Ms Hill and her husband, Dave took over the business four years ago and coronavirus forced them to find new business avenues, such as at-home kits and holding parties at outside venues.

Ms Hill will have seven members of staff working alongside her and hopes to keep collection time to five-to-seven days.

“There’s so much more we could do with the business, especially now we have more staff. I’m hoping it will allow me to take a step back and look at other avenues.

“The last two years have been a nightmare, open and shut, open and shut it wasn’t easy. This is a fresh start.”

The shop reopens tomorrow at 10am.

The upstairs area alone is bigger than the previous shop.

Well known Harrogate clothing retailer moves to new premises

One of Harrogate’s best known clothing retailers, Paul Lown, has just relocated his latest store to Swan Road.

Prey Four opened four years ago on Parliament Street but moved to its new site this week.

The shop sells a range of women’s and men’s clothing and also has an interiors area.

The move was prompted by his previous tenancy coming to an end and Mr Lown admitted he was apprehensive about heading further out of the town centre. But he hoped his committed client base will follow.

He said that after 40 years of trading in Harrogate he has men aged in their 40s coming into his shop who bought clothes off him in their teens.

Inside the shop on Swan Road, across from Fashion House Bistro

Many local residents will remember Mr Lown from his time owning the clothing store Leopard.

Leopard was based in multiple Harrogate units during the 1980s and 1990s, including what is now McDonald’s and the site on which Victoria Shopping Centre now stands.

After leaving Harrogate in the late 1990s for a short period, he returned and went into partnership to open Owl Store in Montpellier. But now he is focused on his own project, Prey Four.

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He said the past 18 months had “been like no-one could have predicted” in his long career and that he could now see the high street changing with more people heading to certain shops rather than to browse.

“People aren’t wandering around aimlessly anymore; you know what you’re getting and from where.

“People need to support the independents if they want them to stick around. Whatever they sell, people need to support them. Covid has really hurt all of us.”

prey four downstairs

The shop has interior pieces for sale downstairs