The fact that few of us are likely to be venturing beyond UK shores this year for our holidays (what are they?!) should signal a bonanza time for retailers located in UK hotspots.
In the first of a series, ditching its passport PG Buzz ventured forth to find out how card retailers are ready and waiting to welcome the wave of staycationers in their part of the world.
First stop is Bude, North Cornwall with Sarah Pringle, co-owner of Spencer Thorn sharing her thoughts…
“For us staycationing is going to be nothing but a good thing in terms of an increase in the footfall through the door. Cornwall is the most popular UK destination I believe. Almost without exception, pretty much all the local businesses we know who offer accommodation are fully booked already from the end of May right through.”
What are you doing to capitalise on the UK holiday mood?
“We worked throughout lockdown building our own website (www.spencerthorn.com) which now features around 3,000 products and we have created marketing material to promote this, especially to visitors, in the hope of them continuing to use us for their gifting needs once they have returned home.
In terms of product displays there will be a heavy emphasis on local cards and gifts at the front of the shop. Holidaymakers love all our local Dave Thompson Bude images in anything from greeting cards and postcards to prints, tea towels and coasters. We use Star Editions for creating all this for us and will sell shedloads of it from April through to October and then very little during the winter!
Our daughter Alice has created a very cool retro vintage travel style Bude image for this season which will be unique to us and will translate beautifully onto greeting cards etc from which we expect good sales.
This summer we are also selling some work by Hannah Beech who I spotted on Etsy. Her colourful illustrations of well-known Padstow, Port Isaac and St Ives caught my eye and now she has created a Bude image as well for greeting cards and A4 prints. As ever, the other star this Summer I’m guessing will be the Jellycat ‘seafood’ range, just hoping I can get enough stock to keep us going on that one!”
What would be your ‘must visit’ tip for those visiting Bude?
“I’d say the one thing anyone who comes to Bude should do is to swim in our Sea Pool. With wild swimming becoming more and more fashionable for enjoyment and for its health benefits, our pool has literally quadrupled in popularity over the past few years and it’s in an idyllic spot. Personally, I hate the cold though and rarely swim in it myself even in the height of summer!”
If there was a magic carpet waiting (and no pandemic) where would you want to go?
“If I had a magic carpet, I’d head right back to where I spent my last holiday, which was at Constance Moofushi in the Maldives. It is heaven! Never have I felt so relaxed in all my 58 years as I was there!”
Top: The Bude sea pool.
