Church Stretton florist marks 40 years of blooming success and lands national award nomination

Shropshire Star

A beloved family-run south Shropshire florist has two reasons to celebrate.

Transcript

00:00So we're here in Church Dretton at John R. Thomas Floris, but it's, well, not just the florists.

00:06Introduce yourselves first, ladies. Who've we got?

00:09My name is Catherine Thomas, and together with my daughter and my wonderful sister, and wonderful Natalie, we run the florist shop.

00:22Cool, and it's a bit of a double celebration in a way, isn't it? Because you're celebrating how many years as a business?

00:28Forty years. Forty years. You started when you were a mere seven, I'm sure.

00:33Getting in there early with that. And also, you found out yesterday, you've gone through to the final of a prestigious competition.

00:42Yeah, the British Florist Association. We are in the last ten to go through the finals for Retail Florist of the Year.

00:50And this is like a national, big national competition, isn't it?

00:54Yes, yeah. We're the only one in the county.

00:56Yeah, yeah. And none in the west mids, even looking at the run-through.

01:01So, yeah, real pat on the back saying you're doing something well.

01:04So tell us about your shop then. So it was founded by your late husband.

01:08Yes, John. And in 1985. And he was a farmer's son. And he always had a great interest in all things horticultural.

01:18And he decided that he would like to open up his own business.

01:23And he bought the business from Mr. Harold Franklin. And, yeah, the rest is history.

01:32So, daughter, were you working, were you straight, you know, well, I'm going to work for the family business.

01:38Or did you kind of have a period where you were like, I'm not going to work for the family business.

01:42So, I've only been here, too long. But I got married and had children.

01:53Oh, okay.

01:54Because I was a stay-at-home mum.

01:55Oh, yeah, yeah.

01:56And then, yeah, the little opportunity came up to come and work with my family.

02:00You saw the light.

02:01And I thought, yeah.

02:03Cool. So tell us a little bit about your shop then. It's not just flowers.

02:08So just tell us about the range of stuff that you stock and sell here initially.

02:11We sell, not just flowers, we sell indoor and outdoor plants and indoor and outdoor pots.

02:20And we also sell all sorts pet-related.

02:25Yeah.

02:26And wild birdseed, we sell that as well.

02:29Yeah, we do generally pet supplies, wild birdseed as well.

02:34Yeah.

02:35And in terms of the floral side of things, what kind of occasion can you cater for here?

02:40Everything.

02:41Yeah.

02:42Yes.

02:42We want it. We got it.

02:43Yeah, birthday parties.

02:45Yes, Christmas.

02:46Weddings.

02:46Weddings, yes.

02:48Funerals.

02:49Yeah, yeah.

02:49Oh, wow.

02:50And everything in between.

02:51Everything in between.

02:51Yeah, yeah.

02:52Yes, yeah.

02:52Cool.

02:53So I'm just thinking the next big date for you, what would that be?

02:56The next big...

02:57Christmas.

02:58Christmas.

02:58Yeah, yeah.

02:59Yes.

03:00So in terms of Christmas, is this husbands coming in for their wives and clue this and

03:06just saying, you know, do they come in very specific saying, I want these type of flowers

03:10or do they just leave it down to you generally?

03:13They tend to leave a tour stop.

03:14They leave a tour stop.

03:14Yeah.

03:15Yes.

03:15We know what we're doing.

03:16Yeah, of course.

03:17Yeah, yeah.

03:18We do our Christmas wreath workshops.

03:20I love you.

03:20They're very, very popular, yeah.

03:21Oh, wow.

03:22Do they happen here on site here?

03:23Yeah, or we can do private workshops.

03:25Ah, interesting.

03:26We've got one working at the local hotel.

03:28Yeah.

03:28They check for a notice.

03:30Oh, wow, okay.

03:31So if people want to find out a little bit more about them, how do they...

03:34Google John R. Thomas Florist?

03:37You can ring us on 11694 722 194.

03:41Yeah.

03:41Or you can email us if you find us on Instagram or Facebook.

03:45It's John R. Thomas Florist.

03:47Cool.

03:48And yeah, if you follow us, you can find out more.

03:50Yeah.

03:50And in the world of floristry over 40 years, have you noticed a change in...

03:58I mean, obviously, in terms of houseplants, they're kind of back, aren't they?

04:01You know, there was the big 70s boom and they're definitely back.

04:04My wife will contend for that, the amount of flowers and plants we've got in our house.

04:09But in terms of the world of floristry, do you have fashions come and go?

04:12Is there something kind of at the minute that's perhaps, you know, that's the latest trend or fashion?

04:17I can't believe you.

04:18She's the expert of floristry.

04:19Definitely.

04:20Yeah.

04:20I think going back from COVID, just after COVID, there was sort of micro weddings, but

04:25a lot of.

04:26Ah.

04:26So a lot of smaller weddings, smaller, you know, flower arrangements.

04:31And now as time's gone on, you're seeing sort of shower bouquets coming back in style.

04:36Like the big, like sort of drapey ones.

04:38Yeah.

04:39And yeah, bigger weddings.

04:40So yeah, bring it on.

04:41Yeah, yeah.

04:42Well, well done, ladies.

04:44And when will you find out the ultimate winner for that competition?

04:48It would be October.

04:49October.

04:49Yeah.

04:50We're going to, we're going to, we're going to go to the awards night.

04:53And where is that?

04:54How old are?

04:54It is in Nottingham.

04:56That'll be a nice night out, won't it?

04:57Yeah.

04:58Yeah, yeah, grand.

04:59Yes.

04:59Well, we wish you all the best in future business.

05:02And thank you for making the street of Church Dretton all that bit brighter and bloomier.

05:09Thank you very much.

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