THE OLD co-operative spirit has lived on in an historic Mickley building which now houses a hive of independent business. 

The familiar Jiggery Pokery tearoom in the centre of the village was once a busy Co-operative store, dating back to the 1920s. 

The building is now known as Dene Workshops and beyond the much-loved cafe is a treasure trove of small enterprises, working together as a modern co-operative to champion local business. 

From the car-park at the rear of the building, customers are led through double doors to a hive of industry, with the popular Salon Craig Bolam, Debbie's Beauty Lounge, The Cotton Tree haberdashery, Speckled Robin Bespoke Stationary and Sew What Seamstresses all rubbing shoulders. 

The newest addition is The Crafters' Emporium, with owner Tracey Robinson moving her business into the building in late April. 

The emporium, which sits on the top floor, is a real Aladdin's cave of hand-crafted gifts and treasures. 

Tracey (45) rents space on the floor-to-ceiling shelves, built by her husband Paul, to local crafters keen to display their wares. 

The Prudhoe mum was inspired to establish The Crafters' Emporium after finding herself disappointed by the lack of outlets for local craft. 

After leaving her job as a legal secretary, Tracey established her own craft company 'Swirls and Pearls' a year and a half ago, specialising in hand-crafted jewellery, greetings cards and the art of her photography student daughter, Rebecca. 

She said: "Crafting had always been my hobby and I have always been creative. 

"I just got to a stage where I didn't want to be behind a desk any longer, we were able to give this a go so that's what we're doing. 

"I needed space to display my work, I wanted to rent a craft space but I couldn't find anywhere that was affordable. 

"So I thought why not create a space, I always say that if  you can't find what you're looking for make it yourself."

Customers paying a visit will find the shelves stocked with everything from hand knitted clothes to artisan jam and hand carved sculptures- as well as Tracey's own work, and that of her  13-year-old daughter Katie. 

All traders are local to the North East, with many coming from Prudhoe and Hexham. 

After enjoying the first flush of success, Tracey is expanding the emporium into a larger space in the Dene Workshop, which will be open from July 4. 

She said: "We're bringing crafters together in one place, it's important to me to support local businesses. 

"The building has a long history but people think it's just the Jiggery Pokery, we still have people coming upstairs and being amazed by how much is up here." 

And the tearoom itself is being given a new lease of life, with Haydon Bridge resident, Jacqui Brown taking it on in May this year.

Jacqui (39) left her job as a schools business manager after deciding that life was too short to wait any longer. 

She said: "When my daughter Kathy turned 18 we were giving her the 'the world is your oyster, life is out there for whatever you want to take out of it' speech and I convinced myself."

After attending several county council workshops on food and drink and visiting the 'Meet the Makers' fair in Blyth, Jacqui was inspired to champion locally sourced food. 

The cafe already stocks treats from Prudhoe business The Pudding Parlour, but Jacqui hopes that eventually the cafe will serve 100% locally sourced food. 

She said: "We have an awful lot of quality food here in the North East and that's what it's fundamentally about. 
"We will support, wherever possible local businesses and food retailers.

"The whole building embodies the idea of supporting local businesses. 

"It was a Co-operative years ago, and what everyone here is very supportive of is the idea of co-operative working, running side by side as complimentary businesses."