UK smugglers gold could fetch £2.5m at auction

Almost 150 kilos of smuggled gold jewellery, estimated to be worth more than £2.5m, is set to be sold at auction in Belfast this week. The gold was seized during an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) into a £9m smuggling plot that saw the gang’s leader, Chaudry Ali…

Read More »

Drakes named ‘Best Independent Fashion Retailer’ in Plymouth

Drakes has been named the ‘Best Independent Fashion Retailer’ at Plymouth’s City and Waterfront Awards. The family-run business, which last year opened a new store in Drakes Circus Shopping Centre, picked up the award at the James Bond-themed black tie event at Plymouth Pavilions on Thursday, October 22. The City…

Read More »

£1bn to be spent online by UK consumers this ‘Black Friday’

Retailers have been warned to prepare for a rise of almost a third in spending on ‘Black Friday’ this year, according to new figures. The annual discount day on November 27, which caught on from a trend by US retailers, will be the first time ever that UK online retail…

Read More »

Cheshire Watch Company relocates to new store

The Cheshire Watch Company has relocated to a new store on Aderley Road in Wilmslow, moving out of its previous position in Manchester city centre. The company said it wanted to bring the shop to its customers, following research that found its existing customers largely came from Wilmslow, Hale and…

Read More »

Gem-A names Nick Jones interim CEO

After several months without a chief executive, the Council of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) has appointed Nick Jones as interim CEO. A retired chartered accountant, Jones’s role as interim CEO is to manage the association, and advise the council on the future structure of the association. In a…

Read More »

North West jeweller opens London store

Steven Stone, an independent jeweller located in Hale, Cheshire, has opened a new store in London’s Marleybone. Opening on St Christopher’s Place, the design of the store is sleek and modern and was overseen by the third generation of the family, Zack Stone. Stone said: “In recent years our business…

Read More »

Christmas lights switch-on to kickstart Hatton Garden BID campaign

Proponents of a new Hatton Garden Business Improvement District (BID) are planning a Christmas lights switch-on celebration event to kickstart their campaign. The event will take place between 5-7pm on November 17, at the corner of Hatton Garden and 120 Holborn, and will feature music and entertainment and some VIP guests. Businesses in…

Read More »

Watchfinder opens Leeds flagship store

Watchfinder has announced the opening of its new flagship store in Leeds city centre. The boutique, which is situated in the historic Grade II-listed Victoria Quarter arcade, stocks luxury brands including Rolex, Omega and Breitling. Watchfinder said the new store will play an integral role in the company’s national growth,…

Read More »

Johnson-Baker & Co

Johnson-Baker & Co, now in its 80th, year continues to supply jewellers and allied industries with all packaging and display requirements. The company is able to deliver boxes named with a customer logo within 24 hours from its Shaftesbury factory.  As well as holding stock of hundreds and thousands of…

Read More »

Editor’s Letter October 2015

If you follow business news closely and your confidence is affected by it day to day, then this month will have made for a turbulent one. Hallmarking was down in the month of August – a disappointing continuation of the surprise downward movement seen in July – but then global…

Read More »