The Sheffield art shop that kept itself in the picture for 164 years

Queen Victoria was, staggeringly, still three years away from the throne when Hibbert Brothers opened its gallery and fine arts shop on Norfolk Street in 1834.

As an advert for the firm in 1979 proudly proclaimed: “In 1888 when Vincent van Gogh lost the balance of his mind and his left ear, Hibbert Brothers had been calmly selling fine original oil paintings for 54 years.”

The business, selling pictures and artists’ materials, had lived through two world wars and toughed it out through two recessions.

But, sadly, it could not survive what was described at the time as the constant upheaval caused by redevelopment of the city centre. Sound familiar?

Paul Hibbert-Greaves – great great grandson of founder William Hibbert – could have been talking now when he spoke of the closure almost 24 years ago.

“There is no future in the city centre,” lamented Paul, who was apparently not shy of criticising the city council at the time.

“The whole problem is people aren’t shopping in the centre any more.”

He blamed ‘massive’ rent rises imposed by the council and added: “The rot started in 1994 with restrictions on Surrey Street which affected us dramatically.

“People don’t come into the city centre with cars any more.”

Some things never change…

Fast forward to October 2021 and Elaine Bird, of Bird Opticians, on Surrey Street, was telling a full council meeting how footfall at her business had plunged by 40 per cent since Pinstone Street was closed to traffic.

By November 1998, Hibberts had opened up a gallery in Bakewell – and Paul seemed pleased with the different clientele being attracted.

“Our customers come from Cheshire, Sutton Coldfield, even Birmingham, and they seem slightly better heeled. Back in Sheffield, no matter what the price on the ticket, people would offer you half. Here they say ‘that will be alright’.”

Sheffield folk then, as now, always had an eye for a bargain.