Jewellers to stop trading

Bridgnorth's town centre economy was dealt another blow today after jewellers Stones of Time announced it is to be the latest family-run business to close.

The shop follows fellow Whitburn Street business The Pine Shop and stonemasons Bridgnorth Memorials, which said last week they will close.

Stones of Time has been in the town for more than 20 years.

The announcement also comes six days after High Street jewellers Gadsbys closed, after 125 years in the town.

Stones owners Christine Tolley and Marine Crump said they were closing the store because of ill-health. The sisters-in-law said they would be sad to leave the town.

Mrs Tolley said: "We bought the business six years ago from David Benson but there are several reasons why we are closing now.

"The main one is ill-health. Our six-year lease was up and we couldn't commit for another six years. It is very sad. We've had some good customers who have supported us and we'd like to thank them all."

Mrs Tolley, who has worked in the jewellery industry since 1969, said it was sad that family businesses were leaving Bridgnorth. She said: "A lot of the little individual businesses seem to be closing."

The shop is to hold a closing down sale and is expected to shut at the end of April.

This week Chamber of Commerce president Norman Cottrell said the group was likely to fold next month because of the decline in family-run businesses in the town.

The spate of closures followed another family business Whitney's bakery, which shut last November.