A POPULAR antiques shop run by the wife of a well-known Radcliffe businessman is closing after a quarter of a century.

The shutdown marks the end of an era and a new challenge for Village Antiques owner Mrs Ruth Weidenbaum.

For she is set to trade from an antiques centre in Haslingden following the closure of her shop in Bury New Road, Prestwich, later this month.

The mother-of-four is the wife of well-known businessman Mr Peter Weidenbaum, who is chairman of Radcliffe-based Trumeter.

Mrs Weidenbaum said: "I got my love of antiques from my grandmother. She had a lot of knick-knacks and I loved them."

Over the years, the businesswoman has seen trends and demands for antiques change dramatically.

"As far as what is popular and what is not, there are various phases. Silver can suddenly become popular, and then porcelain. My oldest antiques date back to Georgian times and I've got a couple of glassware objects. And the antiques go right through to the 1940s.

"The NatWest piggies which were issued about 20 years ago are now in vogue."

Mrs Weidenbaum's clients have included antiques dealers from as far away as Australia and the USA, as well as bargain hunters on her own doorstep.

"All the customers around here have been really lovely people and I've made so many friends as well."

Despite being aged 73, Mrs Weidenbaum has no plans to bring the hammer down on her antiques career.