A HEAVENLY view of York Minster can be bought - with a Grade II listed city centre property also included in the sale.

Jeweller Frank Wood has been trying since 2019 to sell 83, Goodramgate, where his shop RA Braithwaite is based.

The jewellery business is not included in the sale, as Mr Wood plans to continue it as an online-only business, selling jewellery, watches and clocks and offering valuations, watch, clock and jewellery repairs.

The property is for sale with Blacks Property Consultants for £695,000 freehold, which includes the shop with living accommodation on the upper floors, from which there are the views of the Minster.

Blacks say the Buyer will enter into an agreement with the seller that, whilst use as a jewellers is not prevented, the current business name will not be used by any future business operating from the premises.

R.A. Braithwaite was formed in 1946 when Reginald Arthur Braithwaite was “demobbed” from the RAF after WW2, where he was an instrument maker and rear gunner. Upon leaving the RAF, there was the common thought of “What shall I do now?”.

Applying his learned skills of instrument repair to the form of clocks and watches - here R.A. Braithwaite was founded.

Starting out by renting a small shop in Gillygate, he draped his wife’s black silk petticoat in the window, displaying some of her jewellery and thereby attracting a jewellery, watch and clock repair service.

The company quickly expanded to eight shops situated across York, Driffield, Scarborough and Bishop Auckland, and was primarily driven through a high volume of trade repairs including those from the majority of York’s retailers.