‘We’re ready for business and ready for brides’: award winning Southsea bridal boutique excited to reopen on April 12

The team at award winning shop Creatiques in Albert Road have spent the weekend prepping the store, creating a window display to welcome customers back.

Rob Pearce, company director, said: said: ‘We are feeling a little bit nervous but we are all enthusiastic to get back to work and make sure that all of our brides are happy.

‘We’re ready for business and ready for brides.’

Creatiques closed at the end of December as dress fitting services had to stop due to social distancing measures.

Both the business and its clients have found this a challenging time.

Rob said: ‘Four months is a big time span for a girl’s wedding.’

‘Because we provide such a personal service, it’s been really hard and it’s put a full stop on girls’ weddings.

‘We were very reassuring to all our brides, but we’ve been left in limbo where we couldn’t fit them.

‘Some have cancelled their weddings three or four times, it’s been difficult and very frustrating for us and for the brides.’

The team of four will have their work cut out for them over the next few months.

With many brides having to delay their celebrations, Creatiques now has around 50 customers lined up for services ahead of weddings in April, May, June and July.

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Usually, Creatiques starts the alteration process eight weeks before a wedding.

Rob said: ‘Luckily, we’ve got an amazing seamstress.’

Along with two other members of staff, Rob operates the business alongside fellow company director Andrew Pearce, who has run the business for about 30 years. Creatiques has had a retail shop for the last 16.

Rob said: ‘We’ve got to make a living and we’re really looking forward to getting back to the girls and making them look amazing, which is what we do best.

‘We’re proud of all the awards that we’ve won - 36 locally and national. We’re the most awarded bridal boutique across the south coast.

‘We also have a mother of the bride room, and we’re ready to see all these ladies again. We want people to know we’re here, we’re back, and we’re ready to dress our brides.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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