This is a sad day indeed for Rhuthun/Ruthin, with the announcement of the closure of Gareth Lynch Jewellers, situate on Clwyd Street. It's been a business for over 80 years (although the current owner, Barbara Wheatley, took over after the Lynch family sold it).
It was in 1988 that Gareth Lynch sympathetically rrenovated & restored his shop premises. He won the prestigious Ruthin & District Civic Association Quayle Award that year.
Closure means that we have to go elsewhere should we need jewellery... or, given Lynch's minimal stock levels, have we been doing that for years?
Speaking to staff about the closure, the reasons are fairly predictable but not always rational.
Yellow Lines & Available Parking
Yellow lines came in nearly 12 months ago and much have subsequently been reviewed so that there are fewer of them. Little has changed on Clwyd Street and the same amount of parking space prevails along one side as did beforehand. True, the two bays outside Lynch's are now marked as "loading only" but this was in response to businesses who felt the need for such a space; in any case, they're generally abused by ordinary parking drivers, anyway.
Parking Charges
No one likes them but they're a fact of life in any town centre. Imagine a Utopian no charges at all and the most popular car parks will immediately fill with all day workers parking. Rhuthun's are cheaper than Llangollen, Dinbuch and Y Rhyl. 50p for four hours? That's surely OK.
All this reduces town centre footfall, they say. Or are these excuses? Are there other reasons why people are less inclined to shop in town or at Lynch's? There's the economy; out of town shopping; a greater choice of jewellers in Chester, all with greater stock. And, of course, Tesco.
Closure means that we have to go elsewhere should we need jewellery... or, given Lynch's minimal stock levels, have we been doing that for years?
Speaking to staff about the closure, the reasons are fairly predictable but not always rational.
Yellow Lines & Available Parking
Yellow lines came in nearly 12 months ago and much have subsequently been reviewed so that there are fewer of them. Little has changed on Clwyd Street and the same amount of parking space prevails along one side as did beforehand. True, the two bays outside Lynch's are now marked as "loading only" but this was in response to businesses who felt the need for such a space; in any case, they're generally abused by ordinary parking drivers, anyway.
Parking Charges
No one likes them but they're a fact of life in any town centre. Imagine a Utopian no charges at all and the most popular car parks will immediately fill with all day workers parking. Rhuthun's are cheaper than Llangollen, Dinbuch and Y Rhyl. 50p for four hours? That's surely OK.
All this reduces town centre footfall, they say. Or are these excuses? Are there other reasons why people are less inclined to shop in town or at Lynch's? There's the economy; out of town shopping; a greater choice of jewellers in Chester, all with greater stock. And, of course, Tesco.