I’ve been intrigued by the chatter and the ‘buzz’ on social media
about the retailers and cafes in Colne so, not being one to miss a chance to shop, I headed off one sunny day to explore Lancashire’s newest capital of cool with fellow PR and stylista, Laura.
It must be said that Albert Road, the main street, is very attractive, especially at the moment with almost every building festooned in flowers - the hanging baskets and window boxes filled to bursting. What a treat too to find that the first, well-signed car park is actually FREE; a great way to encourage trade and welcome new visitors!
On the way in I’d spotted SALE signs in a very chic looking shop, A White Room, which is where we began our exploration. The architecture of this lovely Lancashire town (Pendle’s second largest, after Nelson) is quite beautiful; carved stone facades, tiled entrances and well-crafted street furniture and lighting. A White Room is located in Norway House and looked like my kind of place; a Habitat/Heals vibe judging by the contents of the window display. For fans of Scandi-dramas such as The Killing and The Bridge, imagine my delight to be immediately confronted by gorgeous ‘Artichoke’ style lampshades by Normann and lashings of Alessi, Conran and Kartell. Speaking to Managing Director David Riley I hear The White Room was at the vanguard of Colne’s style revolution, established almost a decade ago it is the go-to shop for that special gift, wedding present or ‘conversation piece’ for your home.
Back outside there are cute cafes and giftshops, smart banks and offices, but where Colne has tapped into the public consciousness most is in its wealth of vintage and up-cycling outlets. With TV awash with sewing, baking and home-making and with events such as Crafty Vintage and Vintage by The Sea growing in popularity – Lancashire really does love vintage. It was tough dragging ourselves out of The Dressing Room, not least because owner Ruth Crompton made us feel so welcome with her friendly chat and obvious passion for clothes, accessories and recycled glamour. The shop was a real find and needless to say we couldn’t resist a few little purchases ourselves - we’ll definitely be back.
More wonderful clothes and designer shops like Pendle Belles and Inspired Interiors, then a look at the towns oldest building, St Bartholemew’s Church and we arrive at Live Like the Boy and About Coffee, both with bicycles in their window displays in honour of the Colne Grand Prix (just about to whizz by) and the recent Grand Depart. We’ve been chatting happily to Live Like the Boy (Ashley Sutcliffe) on Twitter for some time, so coffee would simply have to wait. We heard about Ashley a few years ago when the now super-popular Roaming Roosters first opened – he created the really distinctive look for the space and kitted it out with cool furnishings and décor. So now we’re here to check out his new shop (he’s recently moved up the street) and of course, it does not disappoint. It’s an Aladdin’s cave of cool. Of course we were impressed, not least by the ‘Boy’ himself; Ashley shakes hands, careful not to disturb the cutest sausage dog nestled in his other arm “He’s been a bit demanding today, wouldn’t settle until I picked him up!”adding “This is Stanley”.
I’m immediately drawn to a section of unique wallpapers, sourced by Ashley “That dotty one there, that looks like a pin board. Was spotted online by an Australian TV show and I’ve just shipped it off to them.” There are luxurious cushions that have featured in many a design magazine, retro drinking glasses – remember Babycham? As well as funky seating cubes like retro cameras, boom boxes and rubiks cubes. There’s vintage Ercol furniture and industrial style cabinets, doggie-shaped magazine racks and chic crockery. This relatively small space provides a feast for the eyes and inspiration for any home makeover – or just hire Ashley with his interior designer hat on, to pop round!
There was so much more to see in Colne but now we needed a cuppa, so it was just a hop
and a skip to About Coffee. Again, we’d heard about this place on Twitter and on googling we found it had consistent 5 star comments on Tripadvisor. An array of cakes on display in the glass cabinets was very tempting but its was the amazing display of specialist coffees and teas that catches your eye. The staff are incredibly helpful, friendly and ready to advise on making the best choice of brew. I went for a breakfast tea and Laura for a cappuccino with cinnamon. Refreshed and inspired by the retailers of Colne we return to the office – with a plan to return very soon.
Anna Izza
For more ideas on things to see and do in Colne
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