By Lesley Walsh
CUSTOMERS have been flocking to a well-known Bangor business from all over Northern Ireland for more than 40 years but now time is being called as retirement beckons.
Watch Craft at Albert Street was launched back in 1984 by John Bradley and Albert Finlay when retail space was difficult to come by, but at 73, John is now preparing to close up shop for the last time, most likely before Christmas.
The pair had been in business previously in the busy Co-Op on lower Main Street but when the tide of modernisation heralded the demise of the much-loved department store, they had to seek alternative premises.
And though Derriaghy man Albert sadly passed away in 2010, John continued in his role as one of Bangor’s few watch, clock and jewellery repairers, preserving the ‘make and mend’ philosophy amid the current ‘throwaway’ era of today.
Local people have praised Watch Craft on social media as providing an ‘excellent price and fabulous service’.
Recalling the early days in business, John, who is from Lisburn, recounted: “We had been in the Co-Op for seven years, as the only jewellery section in the department store.
“Then we were all told we had to vacate when it was closing down, to pave the way for the Flagship Centre and it was quite difficult to find premises.
“We wanted to get a shop in Bangor but it seemed like we couldn’t get anywhere,” he said, but then was lucky to unearth a retail opportunity on Albert Street within just a couple of weeks.
The pair made a small investment, worth around £2,500 in today’s money, and soon contracts were signed.
“We put together £300 each to cover watches and other stock,” he recalled.
The business was then launched at a time when High Street was quieter in terms of trade compared to the then bustling Main Street with its roaring trade, but still, he said ‘trade was reasonably good’.
“We were able to offer the customers who found us very good service and it wasn’t long before we were bunged out every day,” he said.
It wasn’t just local customers who passed through his shop, thanks to word of mouth.
“We had customers from as far as Portrush and even people posting items for repair from the Isle of Man. People brought everything in from Rolex and Timex watches for repair, though there weren’t too many Rolexes in Bangor back then,” he said.
John, who is now preparing to retire, hopes to remain on the shop floor to oversee the final weeks of his business, alongside daughter-in-law, Deborah who is married to his son, Philip, and who has worked at the shop for 16 years.
Customers of old and new will still find a great selection of watches, clocks, jewellery and gifts – including wedding gifts – and John envisages closing within a few months, perhaps before Christmas, depending on how quickly his stock is sold.
