A BELOVED goldsmith and jeweller has thanked a community for its support after retiring following 25 years of service in Frinton.

Linda Bruce moved to Frinton from Leicester with her husband John and their daughter Amber to open Linda Bruce Designs in Connaught Avenue.

The shop’s last day of trading was Friday, February 24, and they are now looking forward to ballroom dancing and spending time with their grandchildren.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Memories - Linda and John with a customer Sonja shortly after moving to FrintonMemories - Linda and John with a customer Sonja shortly after moving to Frinton (Image: Linda and John Bruce)

Linda said: “I had a shop in Leicester which sold my jewellery but I wasn’t spending enough time with my daughter, who was very young at the time.

“We decided to look for another space in which we could live above.

"While looking through Dalton’s Weekly, we spotted Totham’s up for sale in Frinton.

“After having a look we fell completely in love with the space.

"We had never heard of Frinton 25 years ago and didn’t know what to expect but the community has been wonderful ever since we arrived.”

Linda’s love of goldsmithing and jewellery stems from her youth as she took metalwork as a subject for her O-Levels.

When she left school at 16 she expressed her desire to get into the industry but her careers officer laughed at her and said it was not possible for a woman.

She got her breakthrough at 25 when she was accepted onto an apprenticeship at a Leicester jeweller.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Lovely Couple - Linda and John in the shop preparing to close downLovely Couple - Linda and John in the shop preparing to close down (Image: Linda and John Bruce)

Linda worked at the company for five years before deciding she wanted to make her own designs, leading her to pursue self-employment.

She added: “When we packed up with our little daughter and sold our house in Leicester, we trundled down to Frinton not having a clue what we were getting into.

“John and I were vastly optimistic it would be all fine.

"Sid Totham died two years prior and his son Dudley was running the shop.

“The Totham’s and wider Frinton community have been so generous to us and we can’t thank them enough.”

The couple will still provide battery and replacement services at Amber’s shop, the Spinning Strawberry in Frinton.

They are now looking forward to continuing their new-found love of ballroom dancing in retirement.