Member Article

Businesses sign up for Greta Gardens scheme, Keswick

Three Keswick businesses have signed a three-year lease to provide on-site amenities at Your Derwent & Solway’s Greta Gardens retirement living scheme on Crow Park Road in Keswick, Cumbria.

Sharon Hodgson, who has owned Star Beauty in Keswick for ten years, and is based at Luptons Court, will expand her business by opening her second beauty salon at Greta Gardens, which will be known as ‘Star Beauty at Greta Gardens’. At the Greta Gardens salon she will offer a similar range of beauty and body treatments including massage, facials, manicure and pedicures and will be joined by Magdalena Black and two other therapists. In addition Andrew Bryson from A2B Sports Therapy, who has 10 years’ experience as a sports therapist, will provide a sports therapy clinic.

Commenting on her new venture, Sharon Hodgson said: “It’s great to be able to open a second salon as we celebrate our tenth year in business. It’s a really exciting to have the opportunity to branch out and expand the business. We get very busy and sometimes have a waiting list, so to have another place is great as it means we can offer our treatments across both locations. There is a shortage of sports therapist in the area so it’s fantastic to have Andrew on board offering this specialist service. We look forward to meeting new clients and will be running some opening offers for the first month.“

Jackie Attwood; JACS (Jackie Attwood Catering Services) who currently provides the catering for Keswick Rugby Club and has a successful outside catering business, will run The Garden Bistro seven days a week. The bistro will serve breakfasts and a full range of tasty home cooked lunches and daily specials, such as Jackie’s speciality dish; ‘Nana Bettys’ Cumberland tattie pot’ and there will always be homemade cakes, traybakes and scones. Once up and running, Jackie will also be serving a traditional Sunday lunch.

Jackie Attwood, who is Keswick born and bred, said: “All our food is homemade and we use locally sourced produce. It will be lovely to get to know the Greta Gardens residents and cater for their tastes. We also hope to welcome the many clubs, group & societies in Keswick who can use the Bistro for their regular meetings as well as the locals of Keswick who just want a good cup of coffee. We see The Garden Bistro becoming a real community hub where people can meet, make new friends, enjoy good food and share the latest local gossip!“

Hairdresser Christine Smith, who has lived in Keswick for 30 years, will run the hairdressing salon at Greta Gardens. She will be moving from her current salon, Maysons on Lake Road, to the new premises at Greta Gardens where she will continue to offer a full range of hairdressing services.

Commenting on the move, Christine Smith said: “I’ve been here 15 years and I was a mobile hairdresser locally for 10 years before that so this will be a new chapter for us. It’s a great opportunity and I’m very excited about the move. I’m looking forward to welcoming customers old and new to the new salon. My clients can’t wait to see it and are all wishing me well.“

Debbie Seymour, Retirement Living Services Manager at Your Housing Group said: “We’re really pleased to have these businesses on board. They are exactly what we’re looking for. It’s important to us that we can support the local economy and offer local firms the opportunity to expand. All three know the area well and have an established customer base so this will help encourage the wider community to use the facilities on offer at Greta Gardens.“

The beauty salon, hairdressers and bistro will open their doors to residents and non-residents by the end of May.

In total there are 69 one and two bedroom apartments built for retirement living, this includes 34 for affordable rent, 18 for shared ownership and 17 for outright sale ranging from 731 to 781sq ft for a two bedroom and 624 sq ft for a one bedroom.

Local people wanting to rent at Greta Gardens should contact Your Housing Group on 0345 345 0272 and anyone interested in buying an apartment should call Your Housing Group’s sales team on 0845 618 5008.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Your Housing Group .