Well-known Harrogate independent jewellers A. Fattorini the Jeweller has announced it will close after 190 years of trading.
Thought to be the oldest independent jeweller in Harrogate, A. Fattorini, has been on Parliament Street since 1884.
But owners have announced today they plan to cease trading and close the iconic store.
It is currently run by Anthony Tindall, but his retirement has led to a decision to close.
The closure of the Harrogate institution will be marked by a closing down sale starting on November 13.
Mr Tindall said:
“The decision to close the store has been incredibly tough. It’s undoubtedly the end of an era for Harrogate and for our family.
I have loved my time in the business and am going to miss the customers, many who have been coming into the store for many years to purchase special and sentimental pieces.”
A. Fattorini, was founded in 1831 by Antonio Fattorini. Originally from Lake Como in Italy, Antonio senior later settled in Harrogate and set up his business to serve the town’s wealthy visitors during the ‘Summer Season’.
In 1859, the shop was passed onto the hands of his son, also Antonio, who established himself in the Harrogate business communty and was the one at the helm when the store moved onto Parliament Street.
Antonio never married so when he died in 1912 the business was passed onto his brother-in-law John Tindall.
The business remains in the Tindall family today and is currently run by Antonio’s great, great grandson Anthony Tindall. Mr Tindall is due to retire and with no plans for succession the store must close.
The closing down sale will see items such as diamond and gold jewellery, pearls and engagement rings will be reduced by up to 50%.
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Harrogate jeweller not warned about ‘terrifying’ police VIP exercise
A Harrogate jeweller has spoken of her terror when specialist officers took over her shop as part of a VIP training exercise.
Mona Norman, who owns Fogal & Barnes on Oxford Street, spotted the plain clothed officers on the street before they made their way into her shop on Tuesday morning.
She said she had no warning so feared, with one of the officers blocking the door, that she was going to be the victim of a robbery.
The Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit (CDSOU) had planned the visit in advance but did not tell Mrs Norman.
Harrogate is often the stage for such training exercises. However, the unit should have asked for permission in advance.
A senior officer on behalf of the CDSOU has since apologised to Mrs Norman and admitted that it fell short of standards.
Mona Norman, who owns Fogal & Barnes, with her guard dog.
Mrs Norman told the Stray Ferret:
“They looked really suspicious so I kept my eye on them. All of a sudden a couple of them got into the shop. One of them was wearing a bulletproof vest and blocked the door.
“It was really intimidating. I told them I was not comfortable and asked them to leave my shop but the person who said he was a VIP was trying to keep me quiet.
“So I pushed them out, called the police and pressed my panic button. Four of them left but two of them stayed outside so I kept questioning them.
“When I told them I had called the police he said ‘okay, calm down’ and gave me a card to explain but I was still unsure so got him to produce his badge.
“I was terrified, I was petrified. That’s how they made me feel. I thought they were going to rob me. It was awful.”
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She said she lost money during the two hour long training exercise and believes that she deserves compensation from the police.
A Durham Constabulary spokesman said in response:
Emotional goodbye for Harrogate jeweller after 43 years“The Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit is one of the national delivery centres for close protection officer training, and trains officers from several police forces across the country.
“As well as classroom-based learning, the course also involves practical, real-world scenarios in public places, like shops, hotels, and restaurants, which are carefully planned and risk assessed.
“As officers are in plain-clothes, they should identify themselves as police officers if approached by a member of the public.
“We are sorry that the actions of some of the officers involved have fallen short of the high standards that are expected on the course, and we apologise for the alarm that it has caused.
“A senior officer has since spoken to the owner of the shop to apologise on behalf of the unit, and those on the course have been debriefed to identify learning opportunities for future courses.”
A Harrogate jeweller may shed a tear when he closes the doors for the final time in the next month after 43 years in business.
GA Taylor, on Oxford Street, is coming up to the end of its five-year lease in September but will not renew after the owners saw sales dwindle.
They are holding a closing down sale.
The shop’s owners did not blame coronavirus and said it had plenty of government support. But, they said, the business is not viable going forward.
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It has seen a spike in interest recently after holding a closing down sale, but will close when the stock runs out, which could be in the next few weeks.
Andrew Taylor, son of the owner Graham Anthony Taylor, told The Stray Ferret:
“It’s sad but positive at the same time. Speaking for my father, it is hard to tell that anything is happening, but when we close that door for the final time I think it will be emotional for him.
Through the years we have seen a lot of changes in Harrogate. It was quite a prosperous business when we first set up but there wasn’t the competition from online shops.”
They have seen a spike in interest since the closing down sale.
Mr Taylor added that a combination of high rent and low footfall in the area has made it difficult for the business going forward.
Since announcing the closure, GA Taylor has been inundated with supportive messages from former customers – many of whom reminisced about buying their wedding rings from the long-standing firm.