THE Trader of the week this week is Gill Orford of Railway Yarns.
Railway Yarns is at Unit 6 Station Industrial Estate in Ledbury.
We caught up with Gill to see how it is all going in the town. 
Gill said: “At the moment I don’t have a best selling item. People just come in buy a variety of things. 
“I started the business as there was a delay in the completion of the house I was buying here and the job I was moving back for couldn’t hold the post open any longer. 
“Now I am of a certain age which most employers aren’t looking for, so after a couple of months of applying for jobs I decided I had to do something. 
“I’ve always knitted and then quilted and idly dreamt of having my own yarn shop so I thought why not? Why not open a yarn shop? Trouble is the timing wasn’t right. 
“Was meant to open April/May 2020 but we all know what happened in March! 
“So delayed it until last October as we all thought Covid was over!! 
“So it’s been a tough 18 months or so to say the least! 
“Hopefully now things will settle down and people will start to go out and shop in shops again and not so much via the internet. 
“You need to feel the yarn and see the true colours. Buying yarn on line can be so disappointing. 
“Knitting or crocheting is a very tactile thing. You enjoy the experience of the making as much as the finished item. 
“Going to any yarn shop is an event! You need to see all those colours and touch the yarns to inspire you on to your next project. 
“Strangest thing I’ve been asked for? Chap came in the other day and asked if I had any string or thread so he could sew up his moccasin shoe! 
“Ledbury is great to trade in! We have so many interesting small businesses not only in the town centre but also in our trading estates. So they bring in lots of different people. Also it helps that it is also a very attractive town making it the perfect destination for a day out. Come for a coffee, stay for the shopping!
“I’ve always knitted and then when I moved to the Bahamas it was too hot for jumpers and knitting plus there weren’t many places to buy yarn!! But it does have a big quilting tradition and so I learnt to quilt. I quilted from then on really until funnily enough in my last year in Australia I saw some wool and couldn’t resist! Moving back to the UK there was more yarn available and a greater need for knitted garments so I stayed with knitting.”