Lancashire-based craft studio business opens third location following Start Up Loan success
Craft + Common, a unique all-in-one craft studio and bar, has opened its third studio in Lancaster, following the continued success of its Lytham St Annes and Lymm sites.
Long-time friends Lauren Rowland and Hannah Muir set up Craft + Common in 2023 in Lytham St Annes, with a mission to create a vibrant community space where people can socialise and have fun.
The pair originally secured a total of £50k in Start Up Loan funding from GC Business Finance (GCBF), the Start Up Loans programme’s finance provider, to invest in the equipment needed to get their concept off the ground.
Craft + Common quickly gained support from its local community and just 12 months after launching, Lauren and Hannah self-funded the opening of a second studio in Lymm. Now, they’ve expanded again, launching their third site in Lancaster. The location was chosen for its high footfall and vibrant student population. Drawing on their experience from their first two locations, Hannah and Lauren turned the third studio around in just five weeks.
The Lancaster studio has already proved popular, attracting visitors from across the region as well as locals, with strong word-of-mouth driving bookings. To support this rapid growth, Craft + Common has expanded its team to 12 employees, giving Lauren and Hannah the capacity to focus more on brand development and marketing.
The pair would like to continue expanding the Craft + Common brand across the North, leveraging insights and experience gained from their first three studios. Their ultimate goal is to grow their brand, create more jobs, and bring their unique blend of creativity and community to even more towns and cities.
As part of the British Business Bank’s recent tour of Lancashire, Lauren and Hannah welcomed Louis Taylor, the Bank’s chief executive officer and Richard Bearman, chief development officer to their Lytham St Annes studio. The visit provided an opportunity to see the real-world impact Start Up Loan funding has on businesses across the region.
Lauren Rowland, co-founder of Craft + Common, said: “The past two years of growing Craft + Common have been incredibly rewarding, and I still can’t believe we have expanded to three studios over this time. We turned around our most recent location in just five weeks, which really shows how much we’ve learnt along the way about running a business and what our customers want.
“A big part of this journey was the support we received from the Start Up Loans team, especially Julia at GCBF, who helped us access the funding and tools we needed to grow. We’re excited to keep expanding and can’t wait to bring our ‘sip and paint’ events to even more cities across the North.”
Alex Mearns head of Startup Lending at GC Business Finance, said: “It’s been amazing to watch the Craft + Common brand flourish over the past two years. Visiting the Lytham St Annes studio with Louis Taylor was amazing – not just because we got to hear about the impact of our funding on Lauren and Hannah’s business journey, but also because I got stuck into the painting myself!
“The Start Up Loans programme is so important in helping entrepreneurs like Lauren and Hannah take that crucial first step in setting up a business. We’re incredibly proud to have supported them from the start and we can’t wait to see where they take the business next.”
Delyth Edwards, senior network manager for the North West at the British Business Bank, said: “The growth Craft + Common has achieved in just two years is truly inspiring. Lauren and Hannah have transformed a lifelong dream into a thriving business, thanks in part to the support from the Start Up Loans programme. Their story is a great reminder of how the programme helps entrepreneurs grow their business, create local jobs and support their local communities. It was great to meet Lauren and Hannah as part of our Lancashire tour and I’m excited to see what’s next for them.”