A long-running family business is due to leave the high street after more than eight decades.

John Angell has decided to sell his jewellers, John Angell, in Biggin Street, Dover, in order to retire and spend more time with his family.

The 68-year-old took over the shop when his father died in 1973, having previously worked there in the school holidays.

“I was 18 at the time,” Mr Angell said. “I came in with VAT in 1973, I came in with the three day week in 1974, then I think I have worked through four or five recessions and depressions.

“We have had great changes in the high street in that time and Covid was an interesting time – it was very hard for everybody.

“We had three sessions of lockdown so it was a challenging time but business is always challenging. Every few years there is a new challenge and something you have to adapt to and work with.

“The cost-of-living crisis is another.”

Mr Angell says he hopes to be retired by the end of the year, but appreciates it is a tricky economy to find a buyer quickly.

“We have not found a buyer yet,” he said.

“It is not the best economic situation on the high street but then it is about being realistic and knowing what price will get and not trying to be too hopeful. You have to work with the situation at the moment.

“Unfortunately the economy is not in my hands but I cannot go on and on and wait for it to improve because the years are running out.”

His father, also called John, first bought the shop in 1934, with Mr Angell taking over in 1973 and having run it for the last 50 years.

When he retires, Mr Angell says he will be kept busy by his family.

“I have four grandchildren who will take up my time and I will hopefully have more leisure time to travel.

“I have a long list of jobs from my wife so I have plenty to keep me going.”

Mr Angell was also the chairman of the Dover Town Team, which has now disbanded, although he says he is proud they kept going for as long as they did.

“I was chairman for 11 years,” he said.

“It was a group of local businessmen brought together by Sue Jones, who is now the mayor of Dover, to bid for money from the Mary Porter’s Fund. The idea was to get money to improve the town centre.

“Although we were unsuccessful there, we continued working together for the next 11 years.

“We brought the Tuesday market to Dover, a whole variety of town centre activities, and we ran a grants and advice group called ‘Make it Happen’ for people wanting to start a business.”

He said the group is probably well-remembered for obtaining £2.5m for the district via the coastal community bid, which helped develop Market Square.

“That was our biggest achievement,” he said. “I think we have done exceptionally well to have kept going for as long as we did – most other town teams packed up years ago and I do not know any others which are still going.”

Mr Angell says the group disbanded because two out of four members who are left are retiring and DDC now has a Town Centre Manager who is a direct contact for traders.

“Our work is done,” he said.

“There is no point in us doing what the council now has a budget for. We all have businesses to run but now the council has someone doing what we were doing full time which is better.”

John Angell jewellers is on the market at a guide price of £210,000.