Five Knighton businesswomen have united to boost an iconic Knighton shopping street.

The women run six independent shops in and around the Narrows and while their businesses are all very different, they share one goal – to re-energise the town

They have launched an exciting new enterprise called The Consortium.

Co-ordinated by Julia Roberts of the Tower House Gallery, the group aims to revitalise the area into a thriving commercial hotspot to once again become the ‘Clovelly of the Marches’.

Julia is joined by Sandra Matthews of Sandra’s Sewing and Alterations Service, Sue Price of W E Price and Son, Helen Coxill of Walkmill @ no. 7, and Serena Taylor of Serenity Muay-Thai and Yoga.

They will all be open until 7pm on Thursday, December 12 for a late night shopping experience for Christmas. And they hope a new business will be open in time called " Border Bites Sandwich Bar" selling, sandwiches/ rolls, salad boxes, jacket potatoes, pies, sausage rolls, pasties, homemade cakes, and coffee etc.

Julie moved to Knighton in 2005 and bought a gallery and art supplies shop next to the town’s clock tower.

She gradually brought a lot of the stock round to her greatest love – textiles.

In 2009 they opened a small coffee shop on the premises. They trade as a member of Social Firms Wales and over the last 19 years have been helping to train young people who might find it difficult to find employment as well as work-experience students.

“Knighton was such a vibrant town when we first arrived and The Narrows, which forms part of the original approach to the castle, was described by one of our customers as ‘just like Cornwall but without the sea.” Today, its looking a little sad and the area above the start of the Glyndwr’s Way has lost most of its shops. We hope that our alliance of women business owners will give this iconic street a boost and maybe, one day soon, it will again become the Clovelly of the Marches.”

The gallery is open 10am until 5pm Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with occasional Saturday workshops.

Sandra started her sewing and alterations business in 2014 after a long career as a theatre nurse. She started sewing at five years of age and it has always been her passion to make quality clothes that fit well and can be altered or repaired.

Sandra is exceptionally proud of her shop and provides quality fabrics for dressmaking, quilting and crafts alongside the alterations service which has been used more because of the cost of living crisis.

“For me it’s a joy to share my skills with others and being able to show people how clothes can be altered to fit, or repaired instead if being thrown out,” said Sandra.

Her shop is open Tuesday to Friday 9am until 5.30pm and 10am until 5pm on a Saturday and they have a website www.sandras-sewingknighton.com.

Sue’s grandparents started W E Price and Son in 1930 in a shed down the Cwm, and eventually she and her brother and her dad also joined it. It sells ladies fashions, baby clothes, haberdashery, fabrics, wools, bedding and over the road they also have toys, games, cards and gifts.

It is open Monday, Tuesday and Friday 9am until 1pm and 2pm until 5pm, Wednesday 9am until 1pm, Thursday 9am until 5pm and Saturday 9am until 1pm and 2pm until 4pm. Their website is weprice-andson@yahoo.co.uk.

Helen Coxill was born at The Walkmill in Cascob in 1968, a property that her parents renovated and began their journey with Walkmill Antiques.

They moved to High Street, Knighton in 1979 where her parents had their final shop.

In 2017 Helen returned to her family home following the passing of her dad and the desire to recreate Walkmill began. Walkmill @ no. 7 began and now stocks an eclectic mix of vintage collectibles, vinyls, ceramics, modern gifts, greetings cards and much more.

It is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am until 4pm.

Serenity was born out of Serena’s love of a healthy life whilst being inclusive to all. She designed a well-being space to cover all demographics from baby yoga to chair yoga. There is a play room, a sensory and soft play room and a tree house so parents can exercise without having to find childcare.

She holds retreat evenings offering sound therapy, massage, reiki and yoga, yoga Nidra (conscious sleep) evenings are popular but she also holds hen night style dance parties fitness classes. Serena’s husband has fought in televised events and is a superb Muay Thai fighters who teaches Asian style boxing classes and she sells leisure wear and gifts.

Serena offers different classes all week so email her at Serena121@hotmail.com or call 07754604373 or call in.