A striking notice has appeared in the windows of a long-closed shop on Shambles saying it has been ‘seized and condemned’.
But don’t worry – it’s part of the marketing campaign for a new business soon to be moving in.
It’s particularly good news as the shop will take over the former store of leather goods brand Zatchels.
That branch of Zatchels closed before Christmas 2019 and never reopened. For years it remained shuttered with its Christmas display and a bailiff’s letter in the window.
Now, though, 18 Shambles has blacked out windows with the words: “Public Notice. 18 The Shambles has been seized & condemned by order of The Society of Alchemists.”
A link takes you to a website which promises a “retail experience like no other” opening soon.
There has been a lot of interest in the vacant shops in Shambles in recent weeks.
YorkMix understands that The Yorkshire Soap Company has long been looking for a home on the street. It has a beautiful and popular store on Blake Street.
The ‘society of alchemists’ styling is reminiscent of two other successful businesses on Shambles which come with their own ‘back stories’ – the magical apothecary Potions Cauldron and York Ghost Merchants.
In a separate development, we understand the Hard Rock Café, soon to open in the old TK Maxx store on Coney Street, wanted to open a merchandise shop in an empty Shambles unit but was outbid by another retailer.
Zatchels, meanwhile, was bought out of administration by another company and opened a new shop on Stonegate in 2020.