Long term Ruddington residents will be saddened to learn that one our village’s most famous family firms has gone out of business after over a century.
Grices of Ruddington was actually established as a workshop and garage in 1909 by Reuben Grice (senior) and his wife Catherine who then lived at 12/14 Wilford Road. Initially they sold and repaired bicycles there, even mending vehicles from the MOD during the war years. He introduced a petrol pump with a hose that swung out over Dutton’s Hill to fill up the few cars that were around in the 1930s and ’40s! The business became R. Grice & Sons Ltd in 1946 when Reuben (junior) was old enough to help.
The focus has changed over the years. In more recent times Grices had specialised in furniture then purely in electrical goods and kitchen appliances – with brothers Tony and Steven Grice continuing the historic family business. Then, in 2010, when Sainsbury’s was looking for suitable premises to open a Ruddington store, it was decided to lease the historic site to them and to say goodbye to Ruddington after 101 years.
‘Grices of Ruddington’ became ‘Grices of Nottingham’ and traded at Compton Acres and then as a Panasonic specialist at 8, Central Avenue in West Bridgford.
But, in recent years, the losses were mounting and the company ceased trading on the 11th of November 2016 after going into voluntary liquidation. At the time of this closure, Steven and Helen were the only remaining Grices still involved with the business. Tony had stepped down in 2009 before the move from Ruddington.
Michael Rose of M1 Insolvency has confirmed to RUDDINGTON.info that the building now occupied by Sainsbury’s on Dutton’s Hill is not involved in the liquidation process.
You can read a full history of the Grice family in Ruddington, written by Susan Lyon, on the Parish Council website HERE.
