Hobbycraft gets ready to open its new store in King's Lynn in October

Lynn's new Hobbycraft store is due to open earlier than previously expected at its base on Hardwick Retail Park.

The store will be launching on Thursday, October 15, five days ahead of its original planned opening date.

Eighteen new jobs have been created following more than 460 applications for a variety of roles.

Hobbycraft, the UK's largest arts and crafting retailer, will have measures in place to ensure the safety of its staff and customers, such as a queue management system, social distancing markers and a sanitisation point on entry.

Customers are recommended to make contactless card payments which now have a limit of £45.

Hobbycraft King's Lynn will have crafting experts on hand to inspire customers to get creative. Members of the crafting team will include experts in crochet, knitting and needle felting.

The store will have a dedicated custom crafting area that introduces the digital personalisation Cricut tool to customers. The space is designed to inspire shoppers as well as encourage them to try out products and crafting techniques.

The retailer launched the areas as a trial in early 2019 and it was such a success that Hobbycraft are now installing the crafting area in all of its new stores.

Store manager Jenna said: “We are really looking forward to opening the doors to our Lynn store and share our passion for arts and crafts with the community. We’ve been working really hard to ensure that the store will be packed full of the most exciting crafting products, which will help our customers create handmade masterpieces, whilst keeping in line with the new government guidelines.

"Our new colleagues are all dedicated crafters and are ready to inspire and share their knowledge with locals of all crafting abilities.”

The Lynn store will be open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, Saturdays 9am to 6pm and Sundays 10am to 4pm.