Photo Credit - Chichester Post
OVER 18 creative makers came to Draper’s Yard in the Hornet last Friday, Saturday and Sunday as part of a national event.
Etsy Made Local is a national event with 54 cities from coast to coast celebrating the makers, designers and collectors that make up the creative community selling on Etsy.com, the online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods, and encouraging people to look locally for this year’s Christmas gifting.
Organised by the Etsy Makers Chichester team, Etsy Made Local Chichester saw local makers and designers selling unique handmade gifts.
More than 18 local Etsy sellers were selling at Etsy Made Local Chichester market throughout the weekend, with products ranging from beard balm to hand printed art.
The city’s MP, Mrs Gillian Keegan, visited the event. She said: “It was great to visit Drapers Yard to support the wonderfully eclectic mix of small businesses on small business Saturday.
“This weekend was special as they hosted an Etsy Christmas fair, which featured even more creative and handcrafted goods which are normally sold on the Etsy website.
“The Yard is a fantastic enterprise supporting the development of micro and small businesses by providing space on short-term agreements even offering day by day stall space for new businesses to test their products on the market.
“There is a great atmosphere of community with businesses in posh sheds and even a small barista van, selling a variety of different artisan products and services.
“This is exactly the type of local business growth we need to keep our high street bustling. I would definitely recommend Drapers Yard as a lovely place to visit, especially with Christmas around the corner.”
The event gave residents and visitors to Chichester a chance to discover some of the best of the city’s creative community, allowing them to connect with and buy directly from local makers and designers.
As well as providing the perfect opportunity to find unique, affordable and meaningful gifts in the lead up to Christmas, there was also free mulled wine and mince pies and live music.
Terry Goulty, from TG Woodworking, said: “The event was absolutely fantastic and well run by Drapers Yard and the Etsy Made Local Team.
“There was a warm atmosphere about the event, even though the weather was not great, with great support from the other traders and the mulled wine and mince pies kept everyone going.
“Nice to see the mulled wine and mince pies offered to customers and visitors for free and which I feel was a very good gesture.”
Find at: http://www.chichesterpost.co.uk/2018/12/creators-come-together-in-city/
