Just Flowers
Meet Jane Burns who runs her family-run business, Just Flowers, on Main Street in Haltwhistle.
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My family has had a business in Haltwhistle for more than 50 years. Originally, we had a fruit and veg shop as well as a flower shop. I can remember coming into the shop from about the age of seven and helping out. When I eventually took over, I decided I wanted to focus on the florists, and I’ve been doing that for 40 years now — and I love it.
How has your business evolved over the years?​
We have remained consistently busy, with many heartfelt moments arranging flowers for significant occasions within the community. Some days can be emotionally challenging, especially when creating arrangements for people you’ve known for years, but focusing on the business and supporting local families has always kept me going.
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There have also been many lovely moments, with people wanting to send flowers to family and friends for birthdays, celebrations, or simply to show they’re thinking of them.
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We also introduced a delivery service, offering a Shop-to-Door option, which is something we had never done before but will definitely continue. We’ve expanded our social media presence too, helping customers stay up to date with what we’re doing.
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"Originally we had a fruit and veg shop as well as a flower shop. I can remember coming into the shop from about the age of 7 and helping out. When I eventually took over I decided I wanted to focus on the florists, and I have been doing that for 40 years now and I love it."
Do you think people’s shopping habits have changed?
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I think more people want to Shop Local and support their local businesses. I’ve had lots of new customers who have said that they previously would have bought flowers online, but chose to support my shop because they value local retailers. People increasingly recognise that shopping local often means better-quality products and a level of customer service that’s second to none.