Resolutely rooted in Rutland
We spend a lot of time in the garage. It’s so packed with stuff that it evokes a binary reaction from people who see it. It’s a visual nightmare for anyone who’s not interested in cars or making and fixing stuff, and likewise for those people who like to see order reign. The other reaction, from like-minded messy hoarders who also have far too many projects ‘on the go’ might instead see it as a visual treasure trove.
There’s such an array of kit crammed in, that this weekend was the first time Edd noticed a horseshoe hanging on the wall. Not one of his adornments, it must have been left by the previous owners. It’s only taken us 7 years to notice it.
It’s properly hung, in the Rutland way, upside down. Apparently, that’s to stop the devil from making a nest at the bottom of the horseshoe. The previous owner must have been as proud of living in Rutland as we are. Or perhaps they were starting their own version of the rules of the county - where visiting dignitaries present a horseshoe to the Lord of the Manor to be hung in Oakham Castle (which is, to be honest, a somewhat disappointing castle, but a wonderful hall!). They have a bit of a start on us though, with their 200+ horseshoes, compared with our solitary one.
But why are we feeling rooted in Rutland all of a sudden? With shops now slowly beginning to open, and calls for people to wean themselves off internet shopping and go back to shopping local and independent – we wanted to just put the idea out there that we’re proudly both. Yes, we are an online retailer, but we also have a pop up in Market Harborough (just over the Rutland border) at the amazing Eco Village. We do local drops offs in and around Rutland – as the idea of putting something in the post to go miles out and back makes absolutely no sense to us at all. And it’s no big deal, mileage wise, given Rutland is a whole 16 miles wide and 16 miles long.
Our world has shrunk, for now, to selling out of Rutland alone. Events have been cancelled which is particularly disappointing given there was a cracking list that we were going to attend this year. We’re hoping that things return to some semblance of normal for everyone, but if that could happen before the Goodwood Revival we’d be particularly happy as we’d booked our first stand there. But until then, we’re online. We’re local and independent. And we’re resolutely rooted in Rutland.
Lou