This week we announced our expansion plans that we hope to have ready by autumn.

Currently 'Glosters' is situated on the ground and 1st floor of our building here at 2 Bank Place. Above we have a flat. Unfortunately to gain access to the flat you have to either go through the shop or through the workshop and so it's not ideal to be renting out. Plus with the new landlord rules it seems like an awful lot more paper work into something we really don't understand so we've been thinking for the last couple of years what we can use the rooms for, something we know, something we'll enjoy.

This idea has been brewing for a while... we've discussed it on and off for just under a year. Over christmas we confirmed our intentions and we've set out our plans.

We're currently in the process of getting change of use for the flat to commercial use. We then plan on converting the rooms into functional workshops.

We'll have one room fully decked out into my dream sewing room! There will be 7 work stations in the room, each work station will include a sewing machine, light, various cottons,machine feet and beautiful scissors. They're will be a tailors dummy for each station which will come in useful for the dress making courses we plan on running. 

The room next door to this will have various shelving on the walls to accommodate the equipment we intend to use for courses- we'll be investing in 6 looms to start scarf making courses, various carving and crook knives for whittling courses that we hope to hold. This room will have a large table in the middle that can be used for various courses, floristry, knitting, weaving, whittling as well as a cutting table during the dressmaking courses. 

Next to this we have a small kitchen/ seating area- perfect for those tea and cakes we intend to ply people with during the courses as well as a quiet place to sit should you need to check something up online while you're here.

Above this floor we have another 2 rooms! We hope to have these set out as workshops that can be rented on a permanent basis by makers as their work spaces- these makers will hopefully also be able to use the course rooms for their own range of courses.

As well as courses we really want this to be a hub that can be used by anyone. When we both first left university there was no where of its kind- somewhere that if your setting up a business and have a fair coming up you can come for a week or two and work in the building to build stock, but not be committed to long term rent. Or if you've just landed yourself a big commission that really you don't have the space to work on where you are currently, the hub could be a place to complete the project. Or if like me your house isn't quiet big enough to make that pair of curtains in! You'll be able to rent a space at the hub for as long as you need to make them.

We'll be on hand at all times to help anyone who uses the hub, you'll be able to use any of our equipment to complete projects. We're also working on ideas such as children's craft clubs, evenings where you can come along meet like minded makers and make what ever you feel like, open days and taster days.

The 1st floor which is currently our ceramics studio will also see a bit of a revamp, we hope to add another potters wheel as well as another kiln, potters will then be able to come and work in the studio themselves and we'll be able to expand on the current courses we offer.

So far... this is the plan! We hope to launch the 'Hub' On the weekend of October 7th & 8th we'll have lots of taster sessions on which we'll give you more info asap, lots of nibbles and plenty of fizz. By mid summer we hope to share with you our course details up to Christmas as well as details on how to book the workshops to use yourself.

It's all go at HQ and we're only in January!! 

M x