Maldon Nub News aims to be supportive to EVERY element of the community from business and shops to people and charities and clubs and sports organisations.

Everyone is finding it tough at the moment and wants life to get back to normal.

We will be profiling some of these local businesses and groups regularly over coming weeks in a feature called UP CLOSE IN MALDON in the hope that we can be a supportive springboard for your full return to business as usual.

Today we talk to Brian and Gabrielle Warren, owners of Carlton Jewellers in High Street, Maldon. During an in-depth Q and A session they reveal why they set up business in Maldon as well as what they love about the town's community and their gratitude for its support during the current crisis.

When Maldon Nub News speaks to Gabrielle and Brian Warren, owners of Carlton Jewellers in Maldon High Street, Gabrielle leaves not an inch of room for doubt about her feelings for the town.

"Maldon is a spectacularly special town. What we've got is more than just a matter of business or trade, it's the people. The businesses in Maldon don't just care about money, they care about their customers and about each other," she says.

"And now I hope the community will support the businesses here because the loss that so many of them have already sustained and will sustain is massive."

Brian agrees: "My fear is that many of the little shops could go and we will have empty ones that end up being taken over by bigger chain stores. Then it wouldn't be the same High Street anymore."

Carlton is a well-known family business in the town, started by Gabrielle's father and brother in 1990, offering unique jewellery and bespoke designs, as well as repairs and resizing.

"We're all jobbing jewellers," Gabrielle says,"we have learnt our skills and take an absolute pride in what we do and what we offer."

The Warrens have done everything possible to keep the business alive during lockdown, too, but it has required constant ingenuity.

Gabrielle says: "When the first lockdown came we did as we were told and stayed at home.

"Then when Boris said if you can work do, but don't open, we organised appointments outside either in gardens or from assigned places and took in jewellery repairs as we do them in house.

"We offered delivery back. We went and offered stock on request in people's back gardens and took 'bacs' payments only to try and keep it distance."

Yet despite all of that, the couple feels that lockdown has allowed them both to look at life and family a little differently, too.

"It gave us the chance to assess and look at how grateful we are for our family. I had the opportunity of being a stay-at-home mum and the kids got much more of my time, which I'm glad I had," Gabrielle says.

And the couple are grateful for the support of the local community - footfall has been slower, but trade has still been enough to keep them going.

Gabrielle adds: "I'm happy just to be able to pay the bills and if that's all I get, then that's okay. I have always just wanted to provide for my family."

The future is still out there, too, and the owners of Carlton Jewellers believe they are ready for it – and are making the most of every opportunity they have in the current lockdown.

"I have worked the shop since 2003 and we will be here still after lockdown," Gabrielle says.

"I can currently do call and collect deliveries and operate at a distance offering repairs and stock. I can video call stock items or organise for customers to drop off or for me to collect a repair and I can offer bespoke pieces to order right now, too. I'm posting the stock we have daily on Facebook stock we have even have a competition right now to win diamond studs."

The Carlton website cab be found here and the Facebook page here or you can call 01621 856267 or email Carlton Jewellers here.