Jarrold's links up with TV stylist Linda

SHAUN LOWTHORPE Changing Rooms star Linda Barker is hoping a new venture with Norfolk store Jarrold will prove a marriage made in heaven.

SHAUN LOWTHORPE

Changing Rooms star Linda Barker is hoping a new venture with Norfolk store Jarrold will prove a marriage made in heaven.

The designer was in Norwich on Saturday to open the store's Wedding Show at the Open building in Bank Plain.

Last month saw the launch of her first ever UK retail outlet based at the Norwich store selling her own brand of housewares featured in her online Really Linda Barker website and catalogue.

She said she was persuaded to opt for the store by a relative, who is married to store managing director Peter Mitchell.

“We've always wanted to open a retail business but never had the guts to do it,” she said. “Peter gave us the encouragement we needed and it's really nice because it's a family store, which is well-loved. Everybody knows it in Norwich and it's really nice to be part of that.

“We've got family connections with Jarrold so this is probably how this came about.,” she said. “The managing director's wife is my husband's cousin.”

And she said the success of the venture would determine if more outlets would spring up across the rest of the country.

“It would be lovely if we could do that, but we are taking it slowly to see if it works. We've been trading for a couple of weeks and it's going really well.

A Jarrold spokeswoman said: “We're all very excited that Jarrold Norwich will be the launch store, as we've always tried to bring something out of the ordinary and special to our customers.”