Jewellers to close after 230 years of trading

Owner Andrew Campin has been in the jewellery business for more than 60 years

The owner of a jewellery shop is set to pull down the shutters on the business for the final time after almost 230 years of trading.

Martin Wilkinson Jewellers, in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, will close in the new year when current owner Andrew Campin retires.

The 80-year-old has worked in the jewellery trade for six decades and inherited the shop from his father.

The business has served people in the town since 1794.

Mr Campin - who believes the firm is one of the oldest of its kind in Britain - said no-one in his family was able to continue running the business, which has been based at its current Queen Street unit since 1974.

Martin Wilkinson Jewellers served customers at the bottom of Leeming Street and Market Place from 1908 to 1928

"It's a combination of things that made me think that now is the right time to go," Mr Campin, from Mansfield, said. "Particularly as I have a number eight at the beginning of my age now.

"Will I be upset when it closes? I do think it will hit me harder when it has actually happened.

"At this stage though I'm looking forward to it but I'm not the kind of guy who sits on his bum and does nothing. I've moved into property development with my son-in-law, which will be something that will irritate my wife to death."

Since the jewellers - previously named Coral - first opened its doors in the 18th Century, it has occupied four spots in Mansfield's town centre.

During World War Two, the business became renowned for servicing bomber command wrist watches to Army personnel.

Mr Campin's dad Edgar took over the business in the early 1930s from Martin Wilkinson's family, who changed the name to match his established shop in Newark in the 1800s.

The previous premises of the business was in Kinson House, Queen Street, between 1928 and 1974

The firm's closing down sale will start on Saturday.

"We shall keep going until after Christmas - there's no question about that," Mr Campin said. "Hopefully that should allow us to sell the majority of our remaining stock.

"I love meeting the public and I've made some lovely friends on the way. I hope I've been able to put a smile on people's faces over the years."