THE Home Crafters in Yate is a vital store for many artisans in the area.

Based in Yate Shopping Centre, the arts, crafts and hobbies store provides opportunities for craftspeople to showcase and sell their work.

The store, owned by Kirsty Bevan, works three dimensionally, selling arts and crafts materials, hosting craft workshops and offering space for handmade local crafts to be sold.

“I began the Home Crafters to offer an alternative to craft fairs,” said Kirsty,

“There are so many talented people out there, producing some really amazing and unique work, but many just get overlooked because they just can’t find the right selling platform.”

The popular store sells everything from handmade greetings cards to soap and bath bombs, superb fused glass ornaments and handmade clothing.

Kirsty said:“We pride ourselves on catering to most creatives, with an ambition to expand our ranges even further we try to be the one-stop shop for all things arts and crafts in Yate.”

Lockdown had a significant impact financially on the store.

Kirsty adapted her business to help the sudden wave of parents trying to look after their children at home.

“Lockdown hit us hard,” she said.

“Having your main source of income taken away from you so suddenly was hard enough but having so many people also relying on the shop, was a particularly heavy blow.

“I adapted the business as well as I could, immediately offering free local delivery of all our products and putting together a range of boredom busting craft project boxes for adults and children to enjoy while stuck at home. We are thrilled to have now reopened.”

The store is now open with social distancing measures in place, as well as sanitation stations.

Visit the store at 17 West Walk, Yate Shopping centre or shop online at homecrafters.co.uk

lThe Gazette’s Love Local Business campaign encourages readers to support traders to help them recover from lockdown.

Any business wanting to be featured in our campaign should get in touch on 01453 769419 or email sales director oliver.spencer@localiq.co.uk