Is anyone in Salisbury who could possibly help me please?

[Isanyonereallyanonymous]

I did a large sporting event which was a very big deal to me last year.
My now ex offered to have my bib, swim cap etc framed for me using someone he'd had some military medals framed by previously.

I didn't want a standard sports event layout so he was going to do a custom design which he was happy with, however I've been chasing him by April. To start with he would say yes I'll do it tomorrow, but now he's just not replying.
I'm the other end of the country and tbh, I just want the items back now, they're hugely valuable to me on a personal level.

Is anyone local to Salisbury and do you know if Welbourne Medals and Framing is still open at all?
Bit of a long shot I appreciate, but texts, phone calls and Insta messages are being ignored. I've been polite and only chased every couple of weeks and don't know what to do now. It would be really helpful to even know if the store is open/looks closed up etc if anyone is likely to pass it any time soon.

Are they still trading, companies house says dissolved

The shop is definitely still there, there's stuff in the window. No opening hours on display though and no one in there when I went past about half an hour ago.

Ah, doesn’t sound hopeful…

Oh that's so sweet and lovely of you, thankyou 🥹
I wouldn't make a special trip (and at this point, there's no real urgency given how long it's been, and as someone's said it didn't look promising when they went past) but if you happen to pass at any point in the future and can pop in and ask if you can collect some bits (I can message you with my details and what it is) for me and then subsequently post them if you have success id be so grateful - and happy to cover costs obviously.
I wouldn't want you going out of your way though!

Oh goodness. Thankyou so much for going and looking and reporting back, I hope you didn't have to go too out of your way. If you did a special trip please let me know so I can send you a thankyou or cover any costs.

It's not sounding promising though is it :( even if there were opening hours and he was only open 2 days a week or something, so I could have taken a punt on driving down (or sending ex, he's closer!) but nothing at all doesn't really help, other than to know that.

No worries @Isanyonereallyanonymous I go past Amesbury on my way home so it was a very small detour to go look at the high street! Plus I was feeling nosy as I do go shopping there once in a while but had never noticed this shop.

(name changed for this thread as it's very much small-town England round here so potentially outing 😂)

There's a letter box in the shop door, you could maybe send a letter recorded delivery asking for your stuff back? Then if she shop is still trading they can't claim not to have received your message.

No problem! Will let you know when I’ve been able to do a recce!

Hope you get your stuff back. It looks like someone’s done a drive-by. Amesbury tourism almost had a boost this weekend

I read most of the OP wondering when Sainsburys started a framing service.

Good luck, OP!

Maybe I need to pitch it to them as a marketing idea 🤔😂

Morning all,

I had my post declined on the Salisbury Facebook group :(

I've tried to post again to ask admin to contact me so we can create a post they're happy to publish

I've found his FB page but can't see his wife's name on there to be able to message her.
I don't do Insta but I know that's how my ex has been messaging him.

I feel like I'm at risk of sounding stalkery/harassing - I absolutely promise it's been very low contact, once a fortnight at most. I'm just trying to ramp it up/try all options now it's clear it's not likely he's just bogged off on holiday for summer or something!

Once a fortnight for months?

OP… give up! He’s lost them or he’s packed up shop and no longer in the business.

Why should she give up, she sent him very personal irrepraceable items in good faith, he has no right to keep them and op deserves a response, even if it's just an apology and a goodwill payment.

She should give up simply because I think at this point - there is no chance of any success

Not sure if this is useful but I looked on his insta page and he has tagged his wife in something. I then found her on Facebook, I will try and send you her details via message instead of posting on here

This is basically where I'm at - last ditch effort before I wrote it off

Very outing now, but I'm autistic/ADHD so not great at chasing things like this, so it's been very sporadic on my part, I thought I'd have one last try before giving up.
I did an Ironman triathlon, which is 140.6 miles in a day, last year which was a huge achievement for me, which is why I don't want to give up and accept they're gone without feeling like I've had a proper go at getting them back. I'm never going to get a first IM again, and it's all my race bits so they're irreplaceable.

I've even said if he's lost them I'd just be happy if he told me so I can properly draw a line under it (I'm not good with ambiguity. Yes I know anyone can say I'm not going to get them back and logically I recognise I won't, but my brain will pick at it endlessly unless I can get some closure either through being told they're gone or by having tried as best I can)

Oh that's amazing, I'll try anything at this time. Thankyou

You can try citizens advice or your house insurance if you have legal,cover

If I was your ex, I would be spear heading this and going to Salisbury to the shop.

Hi OP, I'm in Salisbury and already on the Salisbury FB group, would you like me to post anything on there?

Forgot to add photo!

Don’t know why my post at 18.19 has been hiddden? There’s no info that isn’t in the public domain!