Watch: We learn more about two brand new town centre businesses next door to each other

The businesses next to each other in the High Street held a special street celebration last Saturday, and we visited the town this week to find out more about them.

Breast cancer survivor-turned-thriver Georgia Tomlinson has opened Snailhouse Stitching, a sewing, repair, alterations and haberdashery business at 19 High Street.

Georgia, 55, lives 'just down the road' in the town and has been living in Bishop's Castle for 12 years.

The mother of two and grandmother of one has been running Snailhouse Stitching from her home since 2017.

"After recovering from breast cancer treatment I decided to expand and move my workshop to be more accessible to my clients and to provide much needed haberdashery sales for local customers," she said.

The fundraising afternoon tea also helped Georgia, who used to run a care business, raise more than £550 for Breast Cancer Now which she said was "fantastic".

She said on her JustGiving page: "My new shop Snailhouse Stitching would not be possible without the vital work that Breast Cancer Now does to help to fund world-class research and life-changing support."

She called it Snailhouse stitching because she used to live in a static caravan that a friend dubbed Snail House.

"A snail goes slowly and thoughtfully," she said. "And I like to put that into my work."

She added that the shop is her "next great adventure" following her fight against the disease.

She reports that this year her "health and fitness came back" and that the snail also represents her healing process.

Next door in the same building that dates back to the early 1700s Tash Lawden and Emma Morris have opened Defined Beauty. The only link between the two businesses is that they signed leases with the same landlord and went in on the same day.

It has been welcomed as a 'great new addition to the high street' and photographer Steve Leath spoke to them about the wide range of treatments that they offer.

Georgia, who still runs a home care business too, said: "It is really great for the town and people are loving it."

The high street is currently being worked on by Shropshire Council under what Georgia says is a very much needed investment.

"We need it to be done because it was dangerous and now the town is regenerating," she said.

"The high street has been affected but there is still plenty of free parking for people to visit and there is still access."

Georgia said food businesses have had to close because "nobody wants to sit outside with the smell of Tarmac". And she said footfall has been affected by it and she understands that some have closed temporarily because of it.

"But I think they welcome the work because it really needed doing."

She added: "This town is a really amazing community for supporting each other and I am glad to be a part of it."