WELLINGTON’S Pop Up Shop has proven to be a boost for the town’s wider economy as customers have been attracted from Taunton and Minehead and many places in between.

And this week, customers can shop there without even leaving their home thanks to an initiative called ‘Shop from Your Sofa’.

The store is currently occupied by more than 25 hand-made craft professionals who have returned for a second stint after the success of their pre-Christmas booking.

On Sunday (March 15), most of the hand-made products in store will be available in an online album so customers can browse from their sofa and place orders which will be hand-delivered to their door in the Wellington area free of charge.

One of the organisers, Alice Burns, who runs Lotus Pond Creations, said: “It makes shopping accessible and easy for anyone who cannot get to the shop due to health conditions or other reasons.

“We upload a product album with hundreds of product photos on the hand-made pop-up shop Facebook page and customers simply comment and we do the rest.”

Co-organiser Jo Alway, who has an online business Always Lovely, said: “Including when we were here before Christmas, this will be the fourth time we have done a ‘Shop from your Sofa’ event and each time we have seen more customers involved.

“We just want to be able to offer an easy shopping experience for our local community and surrounding areas.”

Other initiatives being held by the hand-made crafters include a pamper evening tomorrow (Thursday) when the Body Shop’s Sam Parr will be offering free hand massages and a heavy discount on orders placed.

The event will also raise funds and collect any unwanted make-up and cosmetics which will be used to support homelessness charity Open Door and Taunton’s women’s refuge.

The Pop Up Shop will also feature ‘quiet’ shopping hours for accessibility, an Easter colouring competition, and a book swap day each week where children can come in and change a book for one of those we have in the shop.

The hand-made crafters are the latest group to benefit from the town council Pop Up Shop project which allows entrepreneurs and charities to have a ‘high street’ presence when they otherwise could not afford to pay market rents for a shop of their own.

It can be hired for periods of one week to one month and anyone interested in using it should email the town council on [email protected].