Bradley’s Jewellers York Smashes Targets With 3,700+ Entries to York Ice Trail Competition and Record-Breaking Digital Reach
23 Feb 2026
Independent and multi-award-winning jewellery business Bradley’s Jewellers York is celebrating another hugely successful month thanks to the annual York Ice Trail, held on the weekend of February 7-8, 2026.
The retailer’s larger-than-life ice sculpture, which wowed crowds on Low Petergate, took the form of a White Rose of Yorkshire and drew inspiration for its incredible design from the business’ popular York Rose collection of fine jewellery. This British-made fine jewellery range, which was exclusively launched by Kay Bradley in 2022, incorporates a White Rose of Yorkshire motif across rings, pendants, earrings, bangles and men's signet rings, all adorned with natural and laboratory-grown diamonds in gold, platinum and sterling silver.
Unlike previous years, the retailer hosted not one, but two competitions in conjunction with the York Ice Trail 2026. On its website, visitors were asked to answer a multiple-choice question on a dedicated landing page to be in with a chance of winning a York Rose solitaire ring worth £3,000. The piece is crafted in platinum and sparkles with a 1.02 carat laboratory-grown diamond of D-colour and VVS1 clarity. More than 3,700 entries were received, far surpassing the jeweller’s previous record of 1,430, signalling an appreciation for such a special piece and a willingness to support a local independent trader.
Bradley’s Jewellers York Owner, Kay Bradley, says,
“The York Ice Trail is one of our most important calendar events and I couldn’t be prouder of all that we have achieved in 2026. Not only did our Yorkshire Rose ice sculpture look fantastic, but it really put the spotlight on our York Rose collection and the meticulous British craftsmanship that brings it to life. The fact that we secured more than 3,700 entries is an unbelievable feat, highlighting not only the popularity of the Ice Trail but also the appetite for fine jewellery that exists in our beautiful city, even during challenging economic times.”
The winner – Sonja Pasquet – was chosen at random on Valentine’s Day and was contacted directly by the Bradley’s Jewellers team. She will now be invited into store to collect her prize and enjoy the complete Bradley’s Jewellers York VIP experience. Despite being unsuccessful, all other competition entrants will receive a money-off voucher.
As a result of the competition, Bradley’s Jewellers York has also added hundreds of customers to its in-house mailing list. They will now receive regular communications, special offers and invitations to shopping events that the business organises throughout the year.
The second competition, hosted in partnership with social media influencer Jack D. March, gave Instagram users the chance to win a sterling silver York Rose collection pendant worth £500. After securing 1,500 comments and more than 41,000 views, Diane White @brasso_queen, was randomly selected as the winner and has been invited to collect her prize in person from both March and Bradley.
Overall, York Ice Trail-inspired social media coverage resulted in more than 600 new followers and 100,000 views on Instagram alone, highlighting the huge success of this event for a hardworking local business.
Bradley adds,
“We decided to go bigger in 2026 with a competition online and on social media. I would like to thank my friend Jack for supporting me in this endeavour and highlighting the true ethos behind my business, which is all about collaboration, Yorkshire pride, and beautiful British-made quality. We had lots of people asking about bespoke work on the weekend of the York Ice Trail, and I can’t wait to start working on the new commissions that have emerged thanks to this great event.”
Bradley’s Jewellers has participated in the York Ice Trail for more than a decade and has hosted numerous competitions to drive footfall and engagement with the event. The decision to theme this year’s ice sculpture around the York Rose collection stems from the success of the range over the last 12 months, specifically its newest additions: the York Rose signet ring, the York Rose Brontë ring, and the unique York Rose Tiara.
The latter was first unveiled at York Minster in June 2025 as a homage to the people, places and landscapes of Yorkshire. The piece is British-made and set with 10 carats of marquise-shaped, pear-cut and round brilliant-cut diamonds set in recycled 9ct white gold.
In July 2025, the York Rose Tiara made national headlines when it was worn by Hanni Treweek during her high-profile wedding to Coronation Street actor Jack P. Shepherd. The bride wore the tiara alongside a pair of earrings, a bracelet, a pendant, and her bespoke engagement ring, all from Bradley's Jewellers York.
As part of the York Ice Trail 2026, customers were invited to see the York Rose Tiara by private viewing. Hundreds of guests gathered to witness this precious piece of Yorkshire history, which has now been returned to the retailer’s archives for safekeeping. In the future, the York Rose Tiara will be one of four headwear designs – collectively known as The Seasons – that celebrate the changing landscape of Yorkshire throughout the year.
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Source: Bradley's Jewellers York