Barbican couple to close their glass shop

A POPULAR shop on Plymouth's Barbican which has been part of the street scene for three decades will be shutting its doors in the new year.

- By ALISON STEPHENSON

It will be the end of an era as owners Liz and Ian Nicholls of Plymouth Glass Gallery retire from the high street. However, they do plan to continue their business online.

The couple have built an enormous following locally but also have regular visitors from all over the UK, Ireland, France and the Netherlands and glass commissions by Ian have been sent as far as Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Known for their beautiful Christmas displays, shoppers often ask in the summer months what the display will be this year.

Ian's work, which includes colourful glass panels, sailboats and festive wreaths sit alongside work from glass artists from all over Europe.

"We just buy in what we like and other people seem to like it too," he said.

Plymouth Glass Gallery has been in its current position in Southside Street for around 14 years. Before that the shop was "just around the corner" but at that time also selling paintings and sculptures. The couple also had a premises in Dartmouth selling exclusively glass.

All the items used to be bought in but Ian, who had always had a natural artistic flair and interest in art, decided one day to book himself on a glassmaking course.