I remember the first time I spotted the ‘to let’ sign on my little shop on Fore Street, St Ives. It was a grey day early in 2013 and I’d gone for a little mooch to see if anything had come up for rent on the street. Searching online is never quite the same as actually going and looking. Sometime there’s just a little handwritten sign in the window.

My shop-to-be was looking especially grey that day, but I stood back and looked up and thought…I think I can make it work. I think the tiny window might work in my favour, a chance to show just enough of a glimpse to tempt people in to see more.

Lots of solicitors forms, measuring and planning later and we had the keys and five days to get open before the May bank holiday (but that’s another story!)

Scroll forward to 2018 and my dear old landlord John who lived upstairs from the shop and was a well-known figure around the town sadly passed away, leaving the building to his family in Canada who intended to sell it as quickly as possible. Looking through all my paperwork I suddenly realised that my lease was not at all secure and any new landlord could evict me or double my rent (something which has happened to several friends on Fore Street)

So, with support from family and a massive loan, Justin and I bought the building, decaying roof, collapsed ceilings, damp walls included. The purchase finally completed in 2019 and we set about finding a builder willing to work in St. Ives (not easy!) and on the 16^th of March 2020 he started….and a week later stopped again!

But by March 2021 the Bobbin was finally ready to welcome its first guests. We both worried about creating yet another holiday home in Cornwall when there is such a shortage of housing for families and local people, but we had to weigh up what we’d invested in the property and the fact that we’d saved three local jobs by keeping the shop open, not to mention the work for my stitchers and our other Cornish suppliers so The Bobbin’s destiny as a happy holiday home was decided.

Running this second business alongside Poppy Treffry has had its challenges but I have an amazing cleaner (the linchpin of the whole operation!) and every single guest has been wonderful, writing us lovely reviews, appreciating the love and care that has gone into every detail of the décor and of course, loving St. Ives – rain or shine!

If you're thinking about coming on down to St Ives to visit and want to stay at The Bobbin- click here to book!