'Famous' Darlington shop for sale after closure announced

Beryl Hankin along with Colin Harrison and Tony Smith outside the Darlington shop

A shop described as Darlington's most "famous" has gone up for sale after its 79-year-old owner called time.

Guru Boutique in Blackwellgate has become well known for its eye-catching frontage and outlandish and quirky goods.

Beryl Hankin recently announced its closure following the unexpected death of husband Ray.

The Grade II listed three-storey building has now gone on the market after three decades as an "icon".

Mrs Hankin said the closure of the shop, due to take place in June, was sad but it was "more about the people than the bricks and mortar".

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The business was first opened by Mrs Hankin and her mother, Irene, at its original location in Court Arcade in 1972.

The three-storey building in Darlington was eye-catching

It is thought to have been the first shop to bring "hippy" goods to the area, something others in Darlington were not doing.

It moved to its present home in 1990 when the original venue was placed at risk of demolition.

Mrs Hankin said there had been lots of memories made inside the building, which has been put on the market by the landlord for about £125,000.

"We may close a few weeks earlier because there will be a lot of clearing out to do," she said.

"We will have to try and get rid of fixtures and fittings - I will miss it because it's a beautiful shop.

"There are hundreds of photographs on the wall and I hope the business that takes it over will keep them, but it's up to them."

The shop stocks a range of goods including cushions and incense sticks

The Guru Boutique co-founder said last year she "needed the time" to grieve after the death of 80-year-old husband, Ray, and a recent cancer scare.

She said as a result it did not feel "responsible" to renew a lease on the building, which will expire at the end of June.

However, the business will continue to exist online, and Mrs Hankin eventually wants to open an outdoor market stall.

"Online is okay, but it's not as personal as seeing people and our friends can pop round and we can have a chin wag," she said.