December 2025/January 2026
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Bridport Cilla and Camilla Cookshop to close
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he Cilla and Camilla Cookshop in Bridport is closing down following a decision by Owners Sally Ann Palmer and Richard Barker as the stores lease comes to an end. The Cilla and Camilla store opposite the cookshop location on East Street and some of the existing stock will be added to its collection. The retailer have stores in Beaminster as well as a specialised cookshop in Sherborne. Ms Palmer explained that with rent costs and business rates
increasing, “it seemed sensible to do it as this points.” She added: “Our lease is coming to an end, and we would be committing to another five years. So instead, we can extend the ranges in our other stores. “Like a lot of businesses, we are making commercial decisions all the time. We have the Sherborne cookshop and we could also put some of the stock into our Bridport and Beaminster stores.”
The Bridport
store opened in 2021, and has been a staple in the local community ever since. Some of the Bridport store staff will be moved to the other Bridport store but sadly some have had to be let go. Ms Palmer and Mr Baker took over the Cilla and Camilla name around 15 years ago.
She said: “The business has grown with us. We really value our
customers and the support we get locally. The business is going strong. Retail can be difficult, we have managed to keep trade and we hope to be around for a long time.”
NEWS
Charlies to close long- standing Aberystwyth Cambrian Place store
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John Lewis unveils £10m Bluewater store refurbishment with major home upgrade
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ohn Lewis has unveiled its biggest store refurbishment in four years with a £10m
investment at its Bluewater location, introducing two brand-new flagship concepts that the retailer says are directly shaped by customer demand. The transformation includes the launch of John Lewis’ first dedicated gifting emporium as well as the most significant revamp of its home department to date. According to the retailer, the move comes in response to a surge in demand for gifting inspiration, with visits to its online gifting hub up 15% year-on-year.
The new 650 sq m gifting emporium brings together nearly 1,800 new products and 14 newly added brands. Instead of traditional category merchandising, the space is arranged around customer “passion points” — including home lover, hobbies and adventure, and botanist — designed to make browsing and inspiration easier. Bluewater is also the first John Lewis branch to showcase the
retailer’s new lifestyle-led home concept. Customers can now “shop by inspiration” across five curated styles developed by the brand’s in-house design team: • Heritage • Modern Lux • Scandi’ • Rustic • Timeless
The new approach is intended to help shoppers visualise complete looks and build confidence in styling their homes.
Jason Wilary-Attew, John Lewis
Director of Home, said: “I’m thrilled to unveil the biggest transformation we’ve ever made to the home department. Our new lifestyle-led concept, built around five distinct styles, is designed to inspire customers and make it easier than ever to create a look they love.” “Bluewater is the perfect destination
to touch, see and feel both of these incredible new experiences first-hand, and we look forward to introducing them to more of our stores in the future.”
harlies has announced that it will
close its Cambrian Place store in Aberystwyth when its lease expires in May, bringing to an end a 40-year presence at the location.
The decision not
to renew the lease was described by Managing Director, Becky Lloyd, as “incredibly difficult”, given the store’s importance in the company’s history. The Cambrian Place branch opened four decades ago as Charlies’ second-ever store and has played a significant role in the retailer’s growth.
In a statement, Ms Lloyd thanked customers for their
loyalty over the years, acknowledging the strong relationship the store has built with the local community since opening. Despite the closure, Charlies confirmed it remains committed to Aberystwyth and will continue to serve customers through its nearby Parc-y-Llyn store. The retailer said the larger format store allows it to offer a wider product range across its housewares, home, and lifestyle categories, and will carry forward the legacy of the Cambrian Place location. Mr Lloyd also paid tribute to Store Manager Claire and her team, praising their dedication, care, and contribution to making Cambrian Place a much-loved destination over the decades. The retailer said it looks forward to continuing its
relationship with customers in Aberystwyth for many years to come, while marking the Cambrian Place store as a “special chapter” in the company’s history.
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