Shoppers have said they are sad to see the oldest independent jewellers in the UK close its doors after almost 230 years in business. Based on Queen Street, Mansfield, the jewellers Martin Wilkinson has become the latest business to permanently close in the town centre.
Owner of the business, Andrew Campin, had worked there since 1968 but since all three of his children are established in their own careers he felt there was no-one to succeed him, making the decision to close the store and retire. The closure was announced in November 2022, and was followed by a 50 per cent off closing down sale.
Andrew previously told Nottinghamshire Live: "It has been an incredible privilege to carve out my career, meet generations of wonderful customers and help the people of Mansfield choose significant pieces of jewellery that will be passed down through their families. In that way I feel that Martin Wilkinson will live on for many years to come."
Speaking about the business closing Doug Pritchard, 66, said: "It's the same as Mansfield in general, a lot of the places are closing and being taken over by fast food restaurants. The other thing is Beales at the old Co-Op which we used to go into. Us older gentlemen went in and bought our clothes from there and there's been another big one close.
"Debenhams has shut down and so what do we have now. In some places you have people from nearby villages who love the town and come in from rural places, but in Mansfield we have nothing like that, there's not much of a big draw now, it's sad as I love Mansfield, we have lived here all our lives."
His brother, Andy Pritchard, 64, added: "It's all town centres that are going in the same way. We lost the market, there used to be a massive market and now it's dead.
"We only come here to go to the solicitors and then out again, there's no reason for us to come down here and have a day here. There's nothing for us older people to go into, there's just Newark and Ashfield that still have that nice feel."
A Mansfield resident who did not wish to be named said: "I didn't know it was that old. I never used it but it's a shame it's closed."
Speaking of the closure Megan Roz, 74, added: "I think it was because his family weren't willing to take it on. It's just another one closed isn't it?
"On Market Street just around the corner every shop is closed. It certainly ruined the town when Debenhams shut."
Her husband, Mick Roz, 68, added: "We are born and bred from the area and there's nothing here, it's a shame."
READ NEXT:
