The couple behind a well-known jewellers in the city centre have been reflecting on their time behind the counter as they prepare to close the shop and retire. J Herbert Jewellers has been a flagship on Wheeler Gate for 33 years.
Husband and wife David and Julia Heath opened the shop in May 1996 and had been part of the business since 1989. They decided to move on to Wheeler Gate after the lease on the previous store at Trinity Square came to an end.
The building in Wheeler Gate had been occupied as a jewellery shop under different owners before. And as they prepare to retire and take a well-earned break, it's the social side of the business the couple will miss the most.
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"It's a really social thing because it's the type of business where you are providing an individual service. Each customer is different and it's not like newsagents where someone comes in, picks something and you wrap it, then they go. You have to speak to every customer and form a relationship with them so some of them have become really good friends over the 33 years," Mr Heath said.
The shop has also survived many difficult events over the years which the couple put down to having a loyal customer base. "We have survived three recessions, the financial crash and two years of covid which do stay with you," said Mr Heath. He said regular customers have really helped to keep the store going over the years, especially during difficult times.
"We have a lot of experience and I was a manager for 15 years before we branched out into the store. The reason the name of the shop is different from ours is that it was originally a clock repair shop in Trinity Square which has been going since the 1960s," he explained.
"It was a sensible thing to keep the name on. We expanded on the different bits of jewellery while changing the outlook." There have been a number of changes to Wheeler Gate over the years, especially in recent months. A Historic England and Nottingham City Council project was launched with the aim of improving the historic shop fronts on the street. It comes after a number of shops shut over the years, leaving behind empty premises.
"Sadly, our side of the street has so many vacant shops. It started when Nationwide relocated because that was a focal point. We had a lot of people who would come in to get batteries because they were popping into the bank. So when they left, that changed the outlook for the street because it meant another reason not to come here," he said.
"There has only been a brief period of time where every shop on Wheeler Gate has been let. Otherwise, it's just one shop closed after another, after another. We are one of only two long-term tenants on the street including Nottingham Bag Company who retired in June."
When it comes to someone coming in to take over from the couple, the nature of the business means it can be difficult for people to get the amount for investment together to cover taking on stock. Mr Heath said that they built up their jewellery collection and stock over the years.
"The problem is that to set up a business like this, it's not difficult but the cost of doing it is so high. We knew we were coming to the end of the lease and wanted to retire so we didn't build stock levels back up to the full amount after covid. We would carry about £200,000 worth of stock so that's a lot of money for someone to come in and set up."
He added: "When we started in 1989, we re-mortgaged to raise the money to buy stock and start up. We went on to build up stock over the years so if someone came in with low stock then it wouldn't be successful. People are not looking to come into these businesses these days and there is a lot of skill that is needed.
"People may not come from jewellery or watch background and it's not as easy as just setting up. It's a very personal business as you have to deal with people one on one for every transaction. You also have to know how to do repairs."
When it comes to their future plans, the couple are excited to be heading off on their travels once the lease runs out on the store. "We are planning to take a long holiday because we haven't had one in three years as it's not been possible. We used to be able to manage to get away for two weeks but not with covid so we are really looking forward to it. It will also mark a full separation from the store too as when we come back we will be retired."
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