A sparkling experience is the pledge as jewellery store unveils £1m refit

am delighted to see the company remain true to its ethos and support Northampton,” Mrs Jones says. “This is a town that has had its fair share of problems but the future is looking bright and I am delighted that Michael Jones Jeweller will play a big part in that success.”

The independent jeweller, which is run as a co-operative, has been in the town for more than 100 years and has extended into the former Burton’s unit in the shopping centre - a store it previously occupied in the 1970s.

Delivering a memorable experience to its customers is the aim of the newly relaunched Michael Jones Jeweller in Northampton town centre.

The shop in Grosvenor Shopping Northampton is welcoming customers after a seven-figure refit.

The result is a new experience-led luxury retail space with a VIP consultation room.

“Retail in the 21st century has to be an experience if it is to compete with online sellers,” says Michael Jones Jeweller’s managing director Stuart O’Grady. “We want our customers to sit down in a lounge area with a glass of champagne while choosing their wedding rings. We want them to select a luxury watch in a room that is suitable for such an occasion. That is something you simply cannot replicate on the internet.”

The store lived up to its billing as a ‘hidden gem’ after lucky couple Kelsey Collings and Tom Sumpter from Thrapston won a £2,300 diamond encased in a specially commissioned ice sculpture to mark the relaunch. Theirs was the closest guess to exactly how long it would take for an ice sculpture to melt and reveal the jewel inside.

The redesigned store was officially opened by Anne Jones, the wife of the original founder. “I

The new store features a number of concessions, with dedicated areas for leading watch brands including Longines, Bremont and Tissot. Jewellery suppliers such as Brown and Newirth, FOPE, Clogau and Ti Sento have fully branded counters alongside brands including Gucci, Baume and Mercier and Raymond Weil.

Mark Mullen, operations manager of Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District, said: “It is good to see such a prominent retailer reaffirming their faith in Northampton’s retail offer and investing in their premises. We are looking forward to seeing the impact this new store has on attracting more shoppers into our town centre ahead of the completion of the Market Square redevelopment.”