After 190 years Harrogate’s oldest independent shop is set to close having first opened when Earl Grey was Prime Minister

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Established in 1831, A. Fattorini the Jeweller, based at 10 Parliament Street, is the town’s oldest independent retailer, having traded continuously for 190 years.

Owners have today announced plans to cease trading and close the iconic store.

The end of the shop’s significant history will be marked by a huge closing down sale, starting on 13th November which will see all diamond and gold jewellery reduced by 50%.

With links to Harrogate’s rich history spanning across two centuries, A. Fattorini, was founded in 1831 by Antonio Fattorini, a native of Lake Como in Italy.

Antonio, who left Italy in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, settled in Harrogate where he established his business initially to cater for the wealthy visitors to the ‘Summer Season’.

Antonio and his wife had six children. In 1859, the shop was to be passed into the hands of their son, also called Antonio, who became a prominent force in the Harrogate business community and relocated the store to its current Parliament Street location in 1884.

At the turn of the century, Antonio who remained a bachelor was joined in the business by his sister Maria and her husband John Tindall, who went on to inherit the business when Antonio died in 1912.

The business remains in the hands of the Tindall family to this day, and is currently run by Antonio’s great, great grandson Anthony Tindall who joined the business himself in 1976.

Due to the retirement of Mr Tindall and no plans for succession, the difficult choice has been made to close the renowned store for good.

Anthony Tindall said: “The decision to close the store has been incredibly tough. It’s undoubtedly the end of an era for Harrogate and for our family. I have loved my time in the business and am going to miss the customers, many who have been coming into the store for many years to purchase special and sentimental pieces.”

“We’re looking forward to welcoming customers old and new to our closing down sale, and many lucky buyers will walk away with extraordinary bargains.”

To see the store off in style, there will be a grand closing down sale starting at 10am on November 13.

Customers will be able to take advantage of huge discounts of 50% on hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of high-quality stock including; beautiful diamond and gold jewellery, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, earrings, coloured gemstones, pearls and of course, many engagement rings.”

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