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Monday February 5 2018 THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM, BIRMINGHAM


AUDREY SPENCER Owner of Valley Living at Clitheroe in Lancashire On the floor


Who is your typical customer? My target demographic is predominantly women aged 30 to 65 with an interest in quality products, accessories and gifts.


Describe your product mix. My products sit in three sections: Eating, Drinking and Living. Eating comprises dining accessories such as placemats, coasters, napkins, napkin rings, table ceramics, cutlery and serving platters. Drinking encompasses items for hot and


What’s your background? My home has always been in the beautiful Ribble Valley area in Lancashire, surrounded by award-winning producers, purveyors and restaurateurs of fine food. My own love of food probably originates


from growing up on my family's farm, where mealtimes would often involve being joined by friends, family and neighbours - all eager to enjoy our wonderful farmhouse fayre. After qualifying as a chef, I gained a wealth of hospitality experience in first-class venues, from award-winning restaurants to boutique country house hotels and even the Royal Palace. Subsequently, and for more than a decade, I taught hospitality skills and professional qualifications to a wide range of young people and adults. Having worked in hospitality all my working


life I wanted a change of path but also wanted to keep a connection with my strong ‘foodie’ links. Eventually, I decided to channel my passion and expertise into making that same quality dining and lifestyle accessible to everyone – and with that, Valley Living was born.


Tell us a bit about Valley Living. Established by me at the end of February 2017, Valley Living is a high street retail business at Market Place in the Lancashire town of Clitheroe. Dutch speakers would say Valley Living is all


about ‘Gezelligheid’. This has no direct translation into English, as the word encompasses the feelings of belonging, fun, togetherness and friendship, and of sharing comfortable and convivial places and time with loved ones. So, Valley Living is the nearest translation possible!


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cold drinks including glassware and bar accessories. The Living section includes candles, cushions, textiles and hand-made greeting cards.


How do you find new products? Mainly through trade fairs such as Top Drawer in London, the Spring Fair and Autumn Fair in Birmingham and the Home & Gift Buyers' Festival in Harrogate.


Who are your key suppliers? I have around 30, many of which are small artist/producer/owner-based companies that supply British-designed and made products. Examples include bar and glassware from English Pewter Company - all their pieces are hand-made in Sheffield, using traditional craftsmanship and manufacturing methods - and ceramics and textiles in classic blues and greys from Hinchcliffe & Barber. Then there’s Jin Designs: Jinny Ursell is a


graphic designer in Hove who uses simple lines for her artwork and then transfers these onto useful tableware and textiles. Plus, What Kate Loves is a range of classic blue and cream ceramics designed by Huddersfield-based Kate Thorburn and made in Stoke-on-Trent. And Mosney Mill is a business launched by Emma Sutton: a talented artist who depicts the wildlife that surrounds her Lancashire home and then relays her illustrations onto ceramics and textiles. I also stock some larger brands such as


Robert Welch Designs (stunning dining accessories: stylish with classic designs), LSA International (glassware mainly but some other ceramics are included in my collection, world renowned for their style and quality) and Broste Copenhagen: tableware with a modern edge yet classic feel. No two pieces are the same as they are all hand-finished. Based in Copenhagen, this range has a true


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Scandinavian feel to it. In addition, I have around 10 seasonal suppliers.


What lines have you stocked recently? Louise Money Originals (greetings cards, sourced through Beautiful British Designs), Artyfarty Designs (Polish pottery) and Richard Bramble (a Dorset-based artist and designer of ceramics).


What’s on your counter? Chocolates, gift bags, and a small basket of greetings cards, which are hand-finished with lamb’s wool.


What’s on your agenda? Blackburn digital marketing agency Twentyone has developed my ecommerce website, and is now working with me on a social media campaign to help promote Valley Living to a national audience. (It was my aim to open a website within 12 months of the shop, which I have achieved.) Going forward, Twentyone aims to increase


brand awareness and drive engagement with my target demographic. So, developing my website through social media with the help of Twentyone is my latest campaign - and will continue to be so for the rest of this year.


AT A GLANCE


Valley Living 3 Market Place Clitheroe Lancashire BB7 2BZ


01200 422224 07815 641567


fb.me/valleyliving.co.uk @valleyliving.co.uk www.valleyliving.co.uk


twitter.com/Housewaresnews


June 2018


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