Golden Arrow to close doors after 70 years service to Enniskillen

Gerry Ledwith, manager of the Golden Arrow will retire on February 10 after 35 years of service and the business will close its doors.

The business, first established by the Bianconi family, 70 years ago has been in the hands of the Lucchesi family for around 65 years and four generations have worked in it since it was established.

Mr. Ledwith is the son-in-law of Luisa and the late Silvano Lucchesi who formed the second generation of the business.

Mr. Ledwith, a joiner by trade has been a mainstay in the town for decades whether as a manager of the Vintage alongside Gabriel Quinn under Caroline and Joey Kelly, a shop owner in Cornagrade or behind the counter at the Golden Arrow.

“It’s a family-run business and they [the Lucchesi's] had pride in what they were doing. The volume of people and well-wishes is just phenomenal.

He said: “It was on Facebook on Benny Cassidy’s Facebook page Enniskillen Banter. We got messages from people from Canada, New Zealand, and Australia all in shock that the Golden Arrow is closing.”

The affection in which the family and the business are held in the town should not be underestimated, for many, it is an institution and was a key place in their life story.

"There are a lot of stories that will be told and about the generosity of the Lucceshi family.

“People have been coming in and getting their photograph - young people, old people, people in tears, people in shock, people who have met their husbands here, their girlfriends here.

"This place used to be queued down to Blooming Lovely after the cinema for people queuing to get in, this was the place to be before The Troubles”, Mr. Ledwith recalled.

He opens an envelope marked ‘The Lucchesi family x’ and takes out a photo and a newspaper clipping: “There is a photo from 57 years ago of a Mrs. Maxwell who lived in Eden Street and her two nieces who came from Omagh and their first port of call was the Golden Arrow. 

"The nieces were in today and got their photo taken with me.” He laughed: “It’s like Lourdes, they are coming in now reminiscing and remembering Silvano and Luisa.”

A proud legacy is the long-serving and well-established staff who helped shape the Golden Arrow.

"Terry McCaffrey has his place in the Shetland Islands; Bosco Brennan, Derrylin worked here. If these were footballers they would be legends."

"The legend, Seamus Creighan has been here 61 years.

"Linda Elliott was here 31 years. You could put your house on these people", he said.

Mr. Ledwith is now looking forward to retirement and time with his "pride and joy" - his family.

Discussing his decision to retire he said: “Covid-19 changed the world. Attitude is a big thing among staff and I am 65 which is a contributing factor.

“I've lost friends in the last while to cancer and other illnesses, boys I was in class with.

“I had my first Christmas Eve off in 44 years in retail there just passed and that was because it fell on Sunday. There comes a time."

His voice drops and he speaks gently: "I reached my ambition. I have my wife Liana and our three boys: Mario, Rico and Fabio."

He laughed: "All Irish names, you can guess who the boss is.”

He acknowledged that Enniskillen has changed and knows the closing of The Golden Arrow will herald another change.

Concluding he said: “This is a legacy here, there is something different about the Golden Arrow. If you don’t get the smell of chips up the town on a St. Patrick’s Day or the Twelfth of July or any given Saturday if you don’t smell the waft of fish and chips, the Golden Arrow is dead, the town is dead.”