A group of talented jewellers in the historic Yorkshire market town of Pateley Bridge are coming together to launch the Pateley Jewellery Quarter, a new initiative designed to showcase local craftsmanship and make their studios more welcoming to visitors.
Inspired by famous jewellery quarters around the world – including Birmingham and the bustling markets of Hong Kong and Thailand – the idea is to create a destination where visitors can meet makers, see specialist skills in action and discover unique, handcrafted pieces.
The Pateley Jewellery Quarter will officially launch with a special open-studio event at King Street Workshops (known as Pateley Makers Yard) over the weekend of 25 – 26 April.
The initiative was created by established jeweller Joanne Gowan, who explained the thinking behind it.
Joanne Gowan said:
With all three of our jewellery studios situated in one quarter of the King Street Workshop area, the idea of a Jewellery Quarter came to us soon after Alice opened in Studio 9.
We had planned to wait until renovations after the fire were complete, however with no progress or plan from the Council after 18 months, we saw no point in waiting and this is a good way to let people know we’re still here and thriving.
Jewellery quarters exist all over the world because visitors find a choice of different designers and style all located in one area, the most convenient way to choose jewellery. It’s somewhere you can explore, meet the makers and discover individual and one-off pieces in a relaxed setting.
The event also highlights the resilience of the town’s creative community. Two of the jewellers taking part, Debby Moxon and Ian Simm, are currently working from a temporary space after their long-standing studio was severely damaged when a fire tore through the roof of the King Street Workshops in September 2024.
Despite the setback, they will be among the artists welcoming visitors during the launch weekend.
The studios opening for the event include:
Joanne Gowan
Joanne has worked as a jeweller for more than 40 years and has lived and worked in Pateley Bridge since 2024. Her fine art jewellery using traditional handmaking techniques uses 18ct gold, silver, and platinum and features unusual gemstones in distinctive cuts chosen to suit each individual design.
Alice Clarke
Alice returned to her hometown of Pateley Bridge in 2024 after running her jewellery business in the Falkland Islands for several years. Her work draws inspiration from wild landscapes, from the Falklands to the Yorkshire moors. Designs begin as wax carvings before being cast in-house and finished with stones carefully set by hand.
Debby Moxon and Ian Simm
Debby and Ian worked from Studio 1 at King Street Workshops for more than 30 years. Their studio was destroyed in the 2024 fire and they are currently awaiting its reconstruction. For the launch event they will showcase their distinctive work in Studio 6. Their jewellery uses heat-treated titanium combined with silver fittings, inspired by the dramatic landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales.
Joanne added:
Our styles are all very different – from handmade gold, platinum and gemstone jewellery to wax-carved cast pieces and modern coloured titanium designs.
Between us there’s something for every taste and budget, and visitors can either buy from our collections or commission a completely one-off piece.
To mark the launch, the jewellers have also invited a small group of Yorkshire designer jewellers to join the event with pop-up stalls in Studio 6: Saima Jewel (Leeds), Mark Veevers and Adele Taylor (Sheffield), and Karen Ward (Selby, York).
The organisers hope the initiative will help establish Pateley Bridge as a destination for jewellery lovers and visitors looking for locally made work.
Event Details
Pateley Jewellery Quarter Launch Event
King Street Workshops
Pateley Bridge, HG3 5LE
Saturday 25 April: 4pm – 7pm
Sunday 26 April: 10am – 4pm
Visitors are welcome to explore the studios, meet the makers and see a wide range of handcrafted jewellery.
