A shop in Bedminster has given a stark warning on the future of our high streets in Bristol. Independent Design Collective on North Street offered the simple message on its Facebook page of “use us or lose us forever” after reporting a challenging period in the run-up to Christmas.
Owner Chitra Tarling launched the craft-based gift shop back in 2017 to provide a home for all of the designers and makers she had met at markets across Bristol. Chitra is a designer herself and owner of KarveDesign, a handmade jewellery, who had always dreamt of owning her own shop since she was a child.
Speaking on the opening, Chitra said: “It was an opportunity to sell things from Bristol artists I’d met and heard all of their stories. We needed a space that was for us and celebrated independence. This shop came up and I took a chance.”
