BUSINESS & FINANCE
ADVERTORIAL
RETAIL GROWTH IN SHERBORNE
TOWN CENTRE
Gilbie Roberts Ad.qxp_Layout 1 21/12/2016 10:26 Page 1
Partners Craig Howes and Paul Gilbie at Gilbie Roberts offer accounting and tax advice to small businesses and their owners in South Somerset and Dorset with a service tailored to your needs.
Craig Howes of Gilbie Roberts Accountants welcomes three new retail businesses to the town centre. Gilbie Roberts consists of partners Craig Howes and Paul Gilbie assisted by team members Melanie Lovatt, Betty Gordon and Helen Turner. The firm is based in Yeovil and helps many local small and medium sized businesses in South Somerset and Dorset with accounts, tax and business advice. We have been pleased to help PSJ Jewellers with their financial affairs over recent years and were delighted when they advised us of their planned expansion into Sherborne. At about the same time Yvonne Lehman also decided to set up her business, Just Bears, almost next door to PSJ. It’s great to see entrepreneurs putting their faith in the town and we will give them both all the support and encouragement we can. We also help Charlotte Fairclough, who owns Pure Hair in Half Moon Street, with her financial affairs and it struck us that these three business have a lot in common and amongst others they are the very lifeblood of the town. independent retailers like these need support from all of us. This gave us the idea to showcase these three business, which we do below. PSJ Jewellers opened in the upper end of Cheap Street in July this year. The family business has a long history as jewellers in Yeovil where Tony’s father, Herbert White, originally opened in Princes Street in 1937. This third-generation business is now owned by Tony and Jacqui White, whose daughter
Chloë recently left London to join PSJ in Cheap Street with enthusiasm. “For several years we have been interested in opening in Sherborne, so when No. 42 became vacant we quickly grasped the opportunity”, explained Tony. “Sherborne is such a beautiful and dynamic town, and we’ve been delighted by the warm welcome we have received from the town”, said Jacqui. Chloë added, “We strongly believe that the high street can and must remain a vibrant place to visit and enjoy. Specialist retailers like ours have a key role to play in offering the community traditional service and professional expertise, alongside fresh ideas and modern designs”. Yvonne Lehman started with a concession in The Emporium in Yeovil and then graduated to a pop up shop in the Quedam in Yeovil at the end of 2017 and it was such a success that she decided it was time to take a leap of faith and open up a permanent shop. ‘I had been looking for premises in the area for sometime and had decided that Sherborne was the prime location for me and it was with great excitement that I found premises in Cheap Street in March 2018’ explained Yvonne. The shop sells a huge range of collectible and rare bears including Steiff and Merrythought, along with a massive range of other soft toys and bears from the highest quality suppliers. In addition there is a monthly workshop, where customers can make their own mohair
T: 01935 426811 M: 07540 721005
craig@gilbieroberts.co.uk • www.gilbieroberts.co.uk 1 Church Terrace, Yeovil, BA20 1HX
toy under the expert guidance of Sara Finch of Bower Hinton Bears. Charlotte Fairclough took over Pure Hair from Michael Williams in May 2017 having previously worked in the salon. ‘Buying the salon was a huge decision for me but as soon as Michael told me he was going to sell it I knew I just had to buy it’ explained Charlotte. Half Moon Street is a superb location, almost next door to the inconic Sherborne Abbey. The salon employs a number of stylists and Charlotte has been delighted with clients reaction to her taking over the business. The salon has been in Sherborne for many years and will continue to be at the forefront of new styles and innovation in the fashion industry. ‘It has been fantastic for us to have the opportunity to become involved with PSJ, Just Bears and Pure Hair and we look forward to seeing them grow over the coming years along with the rest of the town centre. I have so much admiration for anyone who follows their passion and sets up a business - they deserve every success’ concluded Craig.
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