Dawson ofStamford

John Dawson set up as a goldsmith and diamond mounter in 1974, working first from a workshop at the bottom of his garden before opening the Red Lion Square shop in 1976. The business remains family-run and single-site, combining a working jeweller's bench with a dealership in antiques. Dawson makes handmade commission pieces in 18ct gold and platinum, remodels and restores older jewellery, and carries out repairs on the premises rather than sending them away. Alongside the jewellery, the shop stocks antique furniture, decorative arts, clocks and vintage watches sourced across Britain and Europe, so the window mixes new commissions with period pieces. It sits on Red Lion Square in the centre of Stamford, close to the parish church of St John and the town's Friday market. Bespoke work and repairs are handled in-house by the goldsmith.