TWO former workers of a jewellers which was forced to close have opened their own repair business in the same building.

Steven Wellings, aged 45, from Fairfield, and Brian Benn, aged 57, from Grappenhall, are trading from Noble Warrington Jewellery at Market Gate in the town centre.

The duo were employed at Noble Jewellery since they were teenagers, but the 42-year-old business, which also included Courts on Bridge Street, started by Stuart Noble closed last month.

The 64-year-old, from Penketh, said that following a mediocre Christmas and increasing overheads, it was time to call it a day.

He added that he was very sad to see the two shops closing and to tell 13 workers they had lost their jobs.

“It’s making the best of a bad situation, I could have carried on but it would have been very difficult to make a profit.

“Now is the right time to get out while we have enough stock to pay everyone and I’m still young enough to enjoy retirement,” he said.

But he convinced his old employees to reopen as a repair and renew business as although jewellery sales had decreased at the store, repairs had increased.

They agreed that people are less likely to be able to afford new items and are settling for revitalising the old.

“I felt guilty, so I looked after them and talked them into keeping the repair business going,” Mr Noble said.

Mr Wellings said the shop is now in its third week of business and doing well.

He said: “At first it was all a bit of a shock but after a while we saw it as an opportunity.”

Courts, on Bridge Street, will have a closing down sale on Thursday in Manchester.