The owner of Gourmet Gifts, located on Acorn Road, has told JesmondLocal that she has been surprised by the success of sales of art by local craftspeople and artists.

The shop has been owned for 30 years by Kathy Cockburn. She said that having locals come with their art pieces is ”great business for her and the artists that supply their arts and crafts”. 

From ceramics to professional photos and handmade traditional Geordie emblems, Gourmet Gifts has found its success by selling these ornaments to the local, student and tourist population.

The art pieces account for around one-third of Gourmet Gifts’ total sales, according to Cockburn.

“Customers love them,” she said. “When people come to Jesmond they always want to leave with a memory of their stay, and these arts and crafts offer them just what they need.”

Cockburn said that she was motivated to help support artists further because of the detrimental impact the covid pandemic had on small businesses and artists selling their pieces.  “Covid being one of the main setbacks for many small businesses, it’s important for us to come together and work as one,” she said. “If I can help them out and it’s beneficial for them as well as myself, then why not?”

Gourmet Gifts’ clientele is very diverse. From retired couples coming to get their grandchildren’s birthday cards, to students coming to buy the shop’s infamous jelly cats, there was a true mixture of everything.

But one thing Cockburn said all her customers had in common was their love and interest in local arts and crafts.

However, Cockburn even admitted that adding local artwork to the items she sold was a risk. “At first I honestly didn’t think they would have much success, but oh how I was wrong,” she said. 

”If it wasn’t for them I would lose quite a bit of business,” she added. 

Eve Burnup, one of the artists that sells her pieces in Gourmet Gifts, told JesmondLocal that it has helped her make her livelihood as an artist. 

She said: ”I’ve found that working with Gourmet Gifts for 25 years now has been much more financially beneficial for me.”

Alongside Burnup, Emily Ward Art and Chris Lishham are two other artists that sell their pieces in Gourmet Gifts. 

The artists sell their wares at the shop because of the connection it provides them with the local community. “Jesmond is all about community,” said Cockburn, “and by sharing this motto it has helped me open my doors to good business and relationships with other small creators – something a small area like Jesmond needs to have.”