Founded in January 2017, Lou, under the moniker or The Crafty Cat wanted to showcase her remarkable talents in up-cycling furniture and craft making to the world and started her Facebook Page and attended Craft Fairs across the North West.

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On 30th January 2020 Lou opened the first location of The Crafty Cottage on St. Leonards Road South in St. Annes on Sea. She brought with her some of the crafters that she worked with on the Crafty Fairs and searched for more local artists and crafters who would join The Crafty Cottage and sell some of their wonderful and unique creations to the locals of St. Annes and visitors alike.

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Lou took the leap to relocate the shop to Park Road in St. Annes on 23rd July 2024, to utilise the increased footfall the road gets (picture on the left), even though the floorspace would be smaller compared to the St. Andrews Road South shop.

 

At the end of July 2026 the need for more space was discussed with some of the Artists, and a location was found on Church Road in St. Annes. The Community Workshop was born from a shared passion for the tactile beauty of handmade objects. But we wanted to put something back into the Community.

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So the Community Workshop has a space on the First Floor for our create space to up cycle furniture and create small items, whilst the Ground Floor will be a wonderful space to host small workshops to teach people different craft arts and to hold "Coffee and Chat" sessions where people can bring along their crafts, such as knitting or crochet to work on whilst having a drink and a chat with like-minded people.

 

Our journey may have began in a small, sunlit space where we transformed discarded materials into functional art, inviting our community to join us in the rhythm of the creative process, and increase their confidence and aid in their Mental Health and Wellbeing.