A former employee of a former homeware store used by generations of people in a Suffolk town has launched a new shop.
Pamela Plews has opened Cloth in Earsham Street, Bungay, following the closure of H Wightman and Son earlier this year.
The store makes bespoke curtains, blinds, and upholstery and supplies upholstery fabrics.
It also provides wallpaper and paint, plus a small selection of haberdashery.
She said the feedback on opening day was “really positive and lots of people came through the door.”
“It went really well and has encouraged me a lot,” she added.
READ MORE: Skeletons return again in The Ingate pub in Beccles
Ms Plews worked at H Wightman & Son for 14 years and said she “gravitated to the interior side”.
The 163-year-old business had fitted carpets, and sold drapery, floor coverings, beds, bed linen and lingerie.
When Wightman closed their doors in the summer, Ms Plews said: “It left a void in the town."
She added: "Because I loved my job and had a passion for fabrics and home interiors, I decided it was too good an opportunity to miss.
"With Wightman’s blessing, I decided to start up on my own and was lucky to find a lovely premises on Earsham Street not far from where my parents first traded."
READ MORE: Bungay business Wightmans to close its doors in June 2024
Her parents were owners of the former Bazaar shop on Earsham Street until 1981, which is now home to Earsham Street Cafe.
"It is nice to bring the family name back to the street," Ms Plews said.
READ MORE: Mobile Beccles Equine Veterinary Services has started
She added: "I have had both regulars from Wightmans and new people in the area come to the shop."
Brands you can find in the shop include Sanderson, William Morris, Clarke & Clarke, Studio G, Romo, Villa Nova, Ian Mankin, Harlequin, Zoffany, Prestigeous textiles, Linwood, and Chatham Glynn and Iliv.
The Wightman name also continues to live on in Wightman & Co Flooring in the Market Place.
The business is owned and managed by James Wightman, Neville Howgate, and Tom Patrick, and focuses solely on flooring.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here