Word on the Street… this Christmas

It’s that time again; it’s time to get out and about in Bonnie Colne to discover the latest word on the street in the lead-up to Christmas…

Meet…
EMMA LOGAN AND SIAN BOOTH at CARERS LINK LANCASHIRE

When did you open?

“We opened on the Monday 6th of November, and we are thrilled to bring a brand-new charity shop and Information Hub in Colne on Market Street. It is a place of support and signposting, and it helps raise vital funds for Carers Link Lancashire to continue to support unpaid carers in your area. The shop will be open Monday-Friday 9.30 am – 4 pm. We can’t wait to welcome the people of Colne through our doors!”

What do you offer?

“The shop is selling a fantastic range of good quality second-hand items. It also has an exciting second floor – which includes a wedding shop with pre-loved dresses, suits, veils and shoes and a dance wear section with costumes, dance shoes and everything in between!”

What do you think of Colne?

“We support around 5,000 people in Pendle, many of whom are in Colne, so we wanted a base here. It’s a bustling town with a great community. People have been so supportive.”

Christmas plans…

“We will put up lots of decorations, and if you’d like to pop down to our shop in Accrington, we’ll have a Santa’s grotto. We do it on Thursday 23rd November during the Christmas light switch on. We had 150 children attend last year. We hope to do something similar in Colne, too. We will also have a Carer’s Christmas party at Colne Town Hall.”

Meet…
ALISON WHALLEY at WAGS AND WHISKERS

When did you open?

“We moved from Barrowford and opened at the beginning of August this year.”

What do you offer?

“We’ve got a lot of food you can’t get elsewhere, such as Canagan and CSJ and actively promote natural treats too. Upstairs we have a small pet hotel where we look after rabbits, guinea pigs, tortoises… all sorts of pets, apart from dogs and cats. We also offer cat sitting in people’s own homes.

What do you think of Colne?

“I really like Colne; it has a community feel, drawing me to the high street. People seem to care. We had someone fall over outside the shop, and by the time I’d realised what was happening, three other people had rushed over to help.”

Christmas plans…

“We’ve got plenty of Christmas items in, and on the 2nd and 9th of December, we’ll be running family-friendly events where you can make your reindeer food. Keep your eyes peeled for updates!”

Meet…
MICHAELA WILSON at PENDLE KITCHEN

When did you open?

“We moved in June from the market, but I still have the Pendle In and Out of School Clothing Stall, which provides clothing to struggling families. Although it’s been difficult being further away from the stall, we have a couple of great volunteers who help with everything and ensure the kids are kitted out.”

What do you offer?

“There’s a wide selection from loaded fries, all-day full English breakfasts and roast dinners. We do a pensioner’s portion of the roast dinner for a fiver.”

What do you think of Colne?

“The Colne community is great and helped make the clothing stall successful. We had a lady move in from out of town with three kids. She struggled to kit them all in school uniforms, and we didn’t have what she needed, so we put a post on Facebook and got all three sorted. It’s that kind of community.”

Christmas plans…

“Every year, we do a Christmas dinner for people on their own for Christmas day. They pick it up on Christmas Eve, and we provide three courses for them to heat up on the big day.”

Meet…
JOHN AND SU at OLD ROCK HOME & GIFT ACCESSORIES, TRAWDEN

When did you open?

We opened in April this year, and it’s been going well. We live in Trawden village. It’s a wonderful supportive community and we’ve met so many lovely people we’ve never before.”

What do you offer?

“We sell homeware, gifts, clothing, glassware, stunning Turkish handmade ceramics, cushions, lamps, and a large selection of cards for all occasions… all sorts of gorgeous things! We currently have a lot of Christmas gift ideas and décor in store. We especially love sourcing one-off and quirky items for the shop. There is a wonderful café and cake shop right next door, so people often combine their visit with coffee and cake.”

What do you think of Colne?

“I’m originally from Colne, and my wife is half Turkish, half Scottish. We have lived in the area for years, having married 25 years ago … she’s a Colner now!”

Christmas plans…

“We have many gift ideas in store and can even wrap them for you. We will also be opening late until 8 pm on Thursdays so that people who can’t come during the day can get their Christmas presents in the evening.”

Meet…
CAROL BARKER at CAROL’S DELICATESSEN

When did you open?

“I’ve been in the market for three years, but due to the renovation, I moved. I’ve been here now for four months. It was a gamble, but it has paid off.”

What do you offer?

“We do a lot of local specialities, including stew and tripe, that other delis don’t serve. Our bestseller is the stew and hard oat cake; they used to do it with onions in the pubs years ago. The stew is sourced locally from a butcher in Nelson. Most of what we serve is local.”

What do you think of Colne?

“I was born and bred in Colne; it’s a nice old-fashioned market town with a great community feeling.”

Christmas plans…

“I will be putting up decorations, but with it being my first Christmas, I will need to find out what kind of thing people would like.”

 

ColneLife Winter 23