Norwich's Chantry Place to get new Piglet and Chestnut shop

Piglet and Chestnut is planning to bring back the art of macrame, which reached peak popularity in the 1970s, when it opens in Chantry Place at the end of next month.

The store, named after owner Gem Spalding-Tunnicliffe's children, will open in a central stand opposite Boots and promise products made of eco-friendly materials.

Ms Spalding-Tunnicliffe offers an array of Macrame designs (Image: Piglet and Chestnut)

Macrame is a knotting technique used to make a variety of creative hanging home decorations and has seen a rise in popularity after people took up new crafts during lockdown.

Some of Piglet and Chestnut's Macrame work (Image: Piglet and Chestnut)

Gem, a former UEA student who is also a science and physics teacher, says her offering will be different to everything else on offer in the shopping centre with all of the macrame designs created by her.

The 1970s craft is making a comeback (Image: Piglet and Chestnut)

She said: "It's going to be completely different to what everyone else is offering.

"These will be bespoke DIY craft kits and they'll all be eco-friendly right down to the ink dye.

Gem Spalding-Tunnicliffe, owner of Piglet and Chestnut (Image: Piglet and Chestnut)

"This all started in lockdown as a hobby, macrame was big in the 1970s and now it's become popular again online.

"During lockdown there was a real boom on DIY crafts and that's just been continuing.

Chantry Place where the new shop will open (Image: Newsquest)

"What we are doing is so in at the moment, boho natural vibes.

"Our main thing is being eco-friendly, a lot of people say they are but it's just a buzz word. We're proud to say people can buy from us guilt-free."

Gem, who grew up in Blofield, has had a pop-up in John Lewis and Boots stores in Norwich since lockdown ended.

Now she will employ two members of staff to look after the new stall in the shopping centre.