Well-known local florist makes a return to the high street

Angela Lloret, who is Libby Peryer's business partner at Niche. Pic: submitted

Libby Peryer, who sold Libby Ferris Flowers in 2015 to take a break to look after her four children, has secured a lease on a shop in Timber Hill for her new floristry called Niche.

And she could not have hoped for a better way to promote the new enterprise because she's opening a pop-up shop just a few doors away in Hairsmiths hair salon where owner Deb Dominic has been offering retail space.

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Niche will open in Hairsmiths on February 1 where they will be for a fortnight during florists' busiest time of the year Valentine's Day.

Angela Lloret, who is Libby Peryer's business partner at Niche. Pic: submitted

Mrs Peryer, who's currently running Niche from her home in Bracondale, has teamed up with another florist, business partner Angela Lloret, and is hoping to employ three members of staff.

She has just secured a lease on a little period shop unit - 10 Timber Hill - next to the Murderers pub and owned by the Castle Quarter.

After decorating it as a little "flower cave" Mrs Peryer hopes to be open by Easter, and possibly even before for Mother's Day.

The opening comes as some florists are choosing to close shops in favour of online businesses - but Mrs Peryer said she totally believes in the high street.

Deb Dominc, who runs Hairsmiths hair salon with a pop-up space. Pic: Archant library.

"I loved having a shop, I think I'm a good shop owner, I love dealing with the public and I've missed it so much," she said. "It's a way of showcasing what you do and although I understand the importance of social media, I don't want to spend all my time updating a website. I want to talk to people."

She said her former business, which was bought and operates successfully in Grove Road, got too busy for her.

At one time she employed 16 staff and was working around the clock: "I couldn't be the mum I wanted to be. I decided to sell so I could take a step back and do the school runs."

With her youngest child, aged three, now about to start nursery, and her three other youngsters, aged nine, seven, and four, at school, Mrs Peryer thought the time was right to get back into business.

The Hairsmiths hair salon in Timber Hill which is offering pop-up spae, Pic: Archant

She wants to focus on sustainability, selling flowers grown without pesticides and not using products that are harmful to the environment such as plastic cellophane or floral foam.