A NEW art and antiques shop has opened in Dursley in a shop that’s been closed for over a decade.

The Victorian shop front of Wyke House in Silver Street had been empty for about 10 years when friends, Simon Carter and Emma Townshend, discovered it.

Their shared passion for history, architecture and interiors, along with the opportunity to buy the locally well-known historic property, led them to form the new art and antiques business, bringing life back to the empty property.

The pair have got years of experience and expertise between them, in museums, retail, design, with Simon even spending time as a fine art curator at the Houses of Parliament.

Simon has been collecting paintings, small antiques and vintage items for many years and the pair both enjoy sharing an appreciation of art, furniture and decorative arts with their customers.

“We love helping customers find the right things for their personal style at home – and particularly objects that tell a story or are hand-decorated.

“It’s not about collecting things just because they are considered valuable, we like modern items too that are well-designed or beautifully decorated” said Simon.

Emma said: “It is a challenge, opening a retail business during the pandemic, especially being new to the area, and the first antique shop the town has ever had.

“We have found the people of Dursley really friendly and encouraging and hope that everyone will help spread the word.

“We look forward to developing the business, bringing new shoppers to Dursley as well as renovating the building over the coming years.”

Inspired by a photograph of the building in 1908, Emma and Simon have been restoring the shop front.

“It has taken us lots of work and we’ve still got more to do, but it’s been worth it,” said Emma.

“We were inspired by a photograph of the building in 1908 and then we found traces of a dark green colour, which we think could be the original, when we took off the many layers of paint, so we’ve repainted it with a close match in a modern classic green.”

They received lots of positive comments as they worked on the shop front and the renovation has certainly improved the look of the building.

“We hope to become another of the great independent businesses in Silver Street, which makes it a great place to shop in the town,” said Simon.

Wyke House antiques shop in Silver Street, Dursley, is open Wednesday to Sunday, or customers can buy online via: wykehouse.co.uk

Many thanks to Andy Barton of Dursley Heritage Centre, who provided details of the shop’s history, along with the above photo of the Stower family outside the store in the 1920s.

Andy said that the shop's former owner William John Stower was born in Wyke Regis, near Weymouth in Dorset in 1861, which was no doubt the origin of the name “Wyke House”.

He was married to Henrietta and they had children, Henry, Mabel and Dorothy. William died in 1918.

William Stower was running his grocer’s shop at Wyke House by 1901 and it then passed through the family.