An independent bookshop is preparing for its first major event in its new home across the city – just weeks after moving.
Script Haven opened its new location in Crown Passage, off Broad Street, on April 18, and has experienced a successful opening month.
Leena Batchelor, owner of Script Haven, said: “The first five weeks have been absolutely beautiful.
“All our regulars are finding us and they love the space, but we are also picking up a lot of new customers and footfall from people who are shopping, mooching, and exploring the area.
“The first word that comes out of a lot of customers’ mouths when they walk in is ‘wow’.
“I’m absolutely delighted with how things are going.”
Script Haven has become the latest addition to Crown Passage, off Broad Street (Image: Newsquest)
With a new and bigger location, the store has also experienced a significant shake-up in its layout.
Ms Batchelor said: “It is much easier to flow through the shop because everything is all open.
“It means we can make our collections more cohesive, we can have all the stationary in one corner, all the cards and gifts in one corner.
“It makes much more sense it terms of the layout and we can display everything much better as well.”
The store has much more space than the previous location (Image: Newsquest)
Now the business has settled into its new home, Ms Batchelor is already preparing for its first big festival – the Alchemy of Words.
She said: “We’ve got some free workshops during the day which are great to pop along to, and then we have got some stunning performers, authors and presents.
“We have got Don’t Go into the Cellar, who are a popular one-man theatre company, we have got Hugh Lupton, who is arguably the country’s finest storyteller.
Script Haven is set to host Alchemy of Words in one week’s time (Image: Newsquest)
“There’s a heavy folklore leaning so we have got The Folklore Podcast from Devon, but to balance it out, we have also got Ashley Giles MBE, who is the head of Worcestershire County Cricket, coming in for a talk.
“There’s something for everyone.”
The Alchemy of Words festival begins on Friday, May 29, and will run until Friday, June 5.
Full details on events and tickets can be found on Script Haven’s website.