Duke’s visit will be a real dazzler

It promises to be the real deal when bargain hunting bobbydazzler David Dickinson checks into a Dudley jeweller’s next month.

The popular perma-tanned presenter, who is the star of ITV show Dickinson’s Real Deal, will be on hand at Rex Johnson & Sons in Birdcage Walk to see if he can discover anything – to quote his most famous catchphrase – “as cheap as chips”.

And the self-styled Duke will be getting his hands dirty behind the till when he served his customers and fans – and gives his verdict on whether they’ve bagged a bargain or paid over the odds.

David Johnson, who owns the family business, said he expected people to flock to the store for the visit on June 10. “I’m sure he will draw massive crowds in Dudley,” he said.

“We are all very excited, because he has the perfect image for our type of business and is very high-profile at the moment.

“He will be here to serve customers, and I’m sure he will be making comments about whether they’ve got a good deal or a bad deal,” Mr Johnson added.

“I hope in most cases he will be saying its a good deal.”

Mr Dickinson will spend a couple of hours in Dudley, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, after visiting Rex Johnson’s Birmingham outlet earlier in the day.

Mr Johnson said that queues of people waiting eagerly to get through the door would be nothing new for staff after a busy three months during which the price of gold has rocketed. The Birdcage Walk store hit the headlines in February as people who had unwanted gold jewellery lined up on the streets waiting to cash in.

The shop has since paid out thousands of pounds to people cashing in on record high prices for gold, which has been at its highest value since 1979.

Last month, prices were £130 per ounce for nine-carat, £260 per ounce of 18-carat and £317 per ounce of 22-carat.

And Rex Johnson is also offering top prices for old English silver coins.

The jeweller is giving ten times the face value of every pre-1947 piece and 20 times the original value of any pre-1920 coin.