Tatty Devine goes back to their roots! Come to our Christmas Markets on 23rd November & Small Business Saturday 7th December!
For the past year, we’ve been working with our partners Nwes to support local entrepreneurs through their Enterprising High Streets Programme which encourages small businesses to flourish by providing free, specialist consultancy, training, access to finance and grants to trade with us at Old Spitalfields Market. Guild Advisory Board member Rosie Wolfenden from Tatty Devine connected the EETG to Nwes. Without Rosie, we wouldn’t be able to provide this opportunity to local people!
Nwes have sponsored our two upcoming Christmas Markets at Old Spitalfields on 23rd November and 7th December from 11 to 5. If you’re a small business located in Hackney, Newham or Tower Hamlets would like to know more, come and visit! Tom and Stuart from Nwes will be with us on both dates and Tatty Devine will be with us on Small Business Saturday.
You can also apply to Nwes the programme directly using this form. Traders who become members of the EETG will be given priority to continue trading with us when the programme is over, so join Rosie and more than 300 other brilliant small businesses, be a part of our Guild here today! And if you don’t run a business, come and get a head start on your Christmas shopping with us!
Now over to Rosie to hear all about her journey with Tatty Devine, Nwes and the EETG!
How did it all begin, what’s the story of Tatty Devine?
Tatty Devine started when Harriet and I left Chelsea School of Art in the summer of ‘99. We both wanted to be artists but started making accessories together which we went on to sell at Portobello and Spitalfields Markets. We were making cuffs and gem-encrusted belts out of leather we had found and essentially making things we wanted to wear, which is still the case today!
In 2001 we discovered acrylic on a grant-funded trip to New York. The grant was through ELSBC, (which later merged with Nwes) and was to research potential shops to sell to. We stumbled across a signage shop selling acrylic shapes which completely changed the course of Tatty Devine. We never looked back and have spent the last 18 years perfecting the art of laser cut acrylic jewellery.
Why is Tatty Devine joining us for our market at OSM on Small Business Saturday?
Tatty Devine is joining EETG because we love going back to our roots! Our shop and HQ is still on Brick Lane and we relish the opportunity of meeting customers and fellow businesses. Being part of a community is really important to us, sharing experiences, knowledge, ideas and an appreciation for what we all do. The atmosphere at Old Spitalfields Market is particularly special in the run-up to Christmas, so we can’t wait!
What’s the best thing about being a member of the Guild?
Being a member of the Guild is important to us for two reasons. On the one hand, it is about being part of a community of businesses and on the other, it is contributing to making positive changes and highlighting how important small businesses are. As a business, there aren’t many platforms to bring local small businesses together to help each other as well as fight against the issues that threaten us.
What do you feel is our most significant achievement as a collective?
The business rates campaign was incredibly significant as it proved that change can happen. This has inspired so many to get involved with the EETG and work on other issues, including rent, the other massive threat to small businesses. Introducing the concept of affordable rent, pioneering an app to create transparency around rent and detecting all the empty spaces that could be utilised by local businesses are all very inspiring and are the reason the EETG is so vital for a sustainable and vibrant future.
Why is it important that other small businesses join the Guild?
Small businesses are the lifeblood of a community; providing services, goods, jobs and tax contributions. They are generally undervalued and at risk of being lost, but the work of the Guild is ensuring that there is hope for the future. The more small businesses that join the better as there is strength in numbers, not only through the momentum it creates but the knowledge and energy it unleashes. Together we are stronger.
