'Everything must go' Family-run Leeds Gallery to close after nearly 40 years on high street

Messages of condolences from the Otley community have been sent to Peter Brown after he announced that Browns Gallery would be closing tomorrow (Saturday) following the death last year of his father, who he ran the business with.

Mr Brown has said that he will continue operating some parts of the business online but is taking a step back to look after his 91-year-old mother.

The gallery has been run from Wesley Street Chambers for 28 years, having operated out of Market Place for 10 years before that.

Mr Brown said that he has decided to close the store in line with the end of the lease agreement, which was under the name of his father, Peter Brown Sr.

Mr Brown said: “I’ve been doing the internet side of the business so I’m just going to relocate the stock and do it from mother’s house and be a companion for her.”

Mr Brown had been working in the printing industry when he set up Browns Gallery as a prints and originals company 39 years ago. He said that they then moved into framing, adding: “Over the years we have noticed a trend where people change their need in the art they want.”

Mr Brown was then headhunted to work abroad and Browns Gallery was taken over by his father for a few years. He said: “I returned and asked for it back and he said no. Father and sons don’t see eye-to-eye sometimes.”

After re-joining the business Mr Brown oversaw an increase of people buying gifts, particularly following the Covid pandemic. He said: “That brought in different clientele that we hadn’t seen before on top of the loyal client base we’ve had for years. It worked very well indeed.”

Mr Brown’s son, Simon, joined the business 15 years ago and will continue to work with his father after the closure. Mr Brown said: “He does the website and I will do the communications and sourcing. I have got over 40 years of trade knowledge and I don’t really want it to go to waste.”

The building the gallery is situated was the site of the Otley Building Society when it opened in 1932 and the former vault in the basement has been used to store the most prized products over the years.

Mr Brown said: “When the property we’re in came on the market I had a look and said ‘yep, that will do nicely thank you very much’.”

What’s more is that the building is on the site of the home where historic cabinet maker Thomas Chippendale’s father was born.

He said that the business’s last day will be tomorrow (Saturday) and that there will be a sale on, adding: “It is the end of a long 28 years. Everything must go, basically.

“It’s sad in one way but it could be a blessing in disguise as it will give me my family life back and time with my two Jack Russells.”

Messages from those with memories of browsing the gallery and buying prints were shared after Mr Brown shared the news on an Otley community group online, with one person writing: “Really sorry about your loss but understand your reasons for closing your wonderful shop. All the best for the future.”

Another person wrote: “38 years in retail is an amazing achievement, you'll be missed in Otley.”

One Otley resident said: “My condolences Peter your Dad was an absolute gent and it was a pleasure to have known him.”