I'm bringing an historic Sunderland corner to life with my new flower shop
The Sunderland businesswoman already has a firm following thanks to her colourful creations.
“I’m so proud to be a Sunnisider,” says a city businesswoman whose new shop is set to bloom in an historic corner of town.
Over the past few years, Rebecca Sullivan has built up a firm following with her distinctive floral creations, which she’s sold to order and at markets around the area, as well as running workshops.
So much so, she’s outgrown running her Under The Ivy business from her garage and is now opening her first flower shop.
As part of a wave of investment in the area, Rebecca has taken on the lease at the ground floor corner unit at a former tyre shop in Sunniside.
Situated on the corner of Villiers Street and High Street West, the corner block, which dates back 200 years, is being given a new lease of life thanks to The Quakers and Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust, with additional funding by Historic England.
Now called The Friends Meeting Place, the upstairs houses worship space for Sunderland Quakers, as well as offices and multi-use community space for hire.
Meanwhile, downstairs houses two commercial units, with sympathetically restored shopfronts. Space coffee and events space, a not-for-profit which supports men’s mental health, has already been announced for one, with Rebecca taking on the second unit.
Both new businesses are set to open in November - and Rebecca says she can’t wait to invest in the burgeoning community.
“Weeks before I got married an opportunity found its way to me, something I’d dreamt of for the longest time, a chance to open my own flower shop in a part of our town that means so much to me and in an incredible building that I have been fortunate enough to see come back to life over this last year,” she said.
“The shop is going to be a place to come and browse florals, somewhere to create and craft at our seasonal workshops and a place to meet fellow creatives.
“A community hub. I am sandwiched between some of the best local businesses in our town. With neighbours such as @spacecoffee___ and @mrgeorgeclarke Home Of Books (coming very soon 👀) @poprecs (our wedding venue! 💒) and @thebridgehotelvaults It wont be hard to get a good coffee or a post shift Marg around these parts .”
The Friends Meeting Place is in the middle of two other big developments in Sunniside, with 75 new homes being built to the right and work well underway on George Clarke’s Home of Books to the left, due to open in April 2027.