Closure of Townsend's jewellers after 60 years to be marked with massive sale

A jewellers that has traded in Wakefield for nearly 60 years has announced it will close.
Nigel Townsend and Michael Townsend are closing their family jewellers after 58 years in Wakefield.Nigel Townsend and Michael Townsend are closing their family jewellers after 58 years in Wakefield.
Nigel Townsend and Michael Townsend are closing their family jewellers after 58 years in Wakefield.

Townsend Fine Jewellers opened its first shop on Little Westgate in 1961 before moving to bigger premises on Marygate in 1967.

Managing director Nigel Townsend and brother Michael became partners in the firm, set up by their father Alan, in 1986.

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Nigel, born on Cyprus Mount in Wakefield, said forming connections with families around the most important moments of their lives was the thing he would miss the most.

He said: “I remember years ago making a couple their wedding rings and then various different gifts. Then some years later their daughter came for her wedding rings when she got married.

“You see people’s whole lives. You could say there’s a sadness in that but really it’s an absolute pleasure.

“The involvement in some of the most important parts of people’s lives is hard to quantify and I’ve only really appreciated it with time.”

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Nigel said that changes to the high street and his brother Michael’s decision to retire was the reason he decided to close the firm.

The closure will be marked with a huge down sale, starting this Saturday, October 27, at 10am, which will see all stock, including diamond and coloured stones, engagement rings, earrings and necklaces, reduced by 50 per cent.

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