A gentlemen's emporium will celebrate its 80th birthday this month when Harrison & Simmonds marks eight decades of trading in Bedford High Street.

The family-owned store opened on May 21, 1928, and is co-owned by two grandsons of the original founder Nathaniel Simmonds.

Co-owner Dominic Simmonds said: "We started trading as a tobacconist but now we are more of a gentleman's emporium. In fact, we technically aren't a tobacconists anymore as to legally qualify a certain percentage of your trade has to be tobacco.

"Originally the shop was half of the shop next door when my granddad bought it in 1928. Before then it was called Covington's, and I don't know how long that was open as a tobacconist."

The store sells tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, and pipes to this day, but over the years it has diversified into a range of different gentlemen's accessories.

That ranges from cuff links and model cars to tipple sticks - walking canes with a concealed phial inside which holds alcohol.

While Dominic and his cousin Matthew run the store today, it is still home to three generations of the Simmonds clan. Dominic's father Michael Simmonds still works part-time at the shop, Michael's brother is a former owner, and the Saturday boy is Cameron Simmonds - great-grandson of the original owner.

Dominic said: "The shop actually covers five generations, as Nathaniel was loaned the money to start up in business by his uncle Ernest Harrison.

"There was a time when Bedford had four or five tobacconists, and we had another store in St Mary's Street. Customers would come in to order their tobacco and it would be delivered later that day to the servant's entrance.

"Now there are not many shops like us around, and very few that do such a wide range. But then we also get at least one person a week come in, who has lived in Bedford all their life and yet never realised we were here."


Harrison & Simmonds website