Beloved Bath boutique visited by the rich and famous to close

A beloved fashion boutique in Bath will be closing after 45 years. Anokhi, which sources its clothes from Jaipur in India, will be shutting its doors in March.

Luke Hardy, who helps run the family-owned business, spoke warmly of the friendships he's built with customers over the years: "By becoming part of the fabric of Bath we've also become very good friends with all these wonderful people.

"Customers are the most important part of our business. In a way, it's been a mutual appreciation society. It's been wonderful."

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Some of these customers have included famous actors and musicians: Oscar-winner Vanessa Redgrave, Peter Gabriel's ex-wife Jill Gabriel, and the late artist Susan Herbert have all shopped at Anokhi.

Despite the glamorous clientele, Anokhi is a humble family business at heart. It was founded by Luke's sister Faith and her husband John in India 60 years ago. Even today, Luke's nephew handles the supply-side of the business.

The UK-based shop began its lifespan in Cambridge, where it remained open for seven years. It eventually moved to Bath in 1980, while other branches were eventually opened in Bristol and Wells.

The Bristol shop sadly shut after 25 years, but the Wells branch will remain open under new ownership and a different name. Recalling the Bristol branch, Luke said: "There were a lot of tears when we left that because we built up a very loyal clientele and it's been the same here. A lot of people are going to miss us enormously."

The Anokhi brand has also been a global success, boasting 27 shops across India. There are also stockists based in the US, Japan, France and Mauritius. There is even an Anokhi museum of hand printing in Jaipur.

Sadly, Luke has decided to close the shop for personal reasons. It seems there may not be a shop like it: "Anokhi means 'unique' in Hindi, so we've tried to be true to that."

There is not a precise closing date for Anokhi yet, but it is expected to close at some point in March. Anokhi is open Monday to Saturday on Saracen Street between 10.30am and 4.30pm.