Dumfries jeweller's shop to close after more than 50 years

Landmark jeweller’s shop H Samuel is to close next month after more than 50 years in Dumfries.

The High Street store will haul down the shutters on September 10 with the loss of five jobs – two full-time and three part-time.

Manager Helen Shrimpton said: “They are shutting quite a few of the bigger city stores so the wee ones like ours are getting dumped too, so that’s it.

“I have been here 22 years and the doors shut on September 10 for the last time, which is a shame.

“This Sunday I will turn 58 and the shop actually closes one day after my 22nd anniversary of starting work here.

“We were told last Friday so we only got three weeks notice.”

She added: “We are an affordable store and not everyone in Dumfries has loads of money to spend so that is a blow.

“We were talking the other day about when the shop opened, it was called Ewan’s beforehand and then H Samuel took it over and I would reckon that was back in the 1960s.

“I have managed to get a new job and a couple of the girls have too, but it is early days yet and hopefully we all get something.”