THE presenters of a popular television series visited a homeware shop in Northumberland.
Dick and Angel Strawbridge, presenters of Channel 4's Escape to the Chateau, visited the recently renovated French & Wilder at 25 Market Place, Hexham.
The Strawbridge family consists of Dick and Angel Strawbridge, and their two children, Arthur and Dorothy.
French & Wilder, the French-inspired homeware and lifestyle boutique, has unveiled a renovation that signals the independent retailer's growing ambitions, including a freshly transformed shopfront and an all-new fragrance bar.
The exterior of the Market Place premises has been repainted in an elegant warm sandy tone, with hand-painted signage giving the shop a continental feel.
The most significant addition inside is the new Fragrance Bar: a repurposed Victorian curved wooden shop counter which provides a dedicated space to French & Wilder's growing collection of perfumes, diffusers, and scented products, allowing customers to explore the range in a setting that feels like a Parisian parfumerie.
Co-founder Nathan Wilder said: "We wanted the outside to properly reflect what's inside - something beautiful, stylish and with a real sense of French character. The fragrance bar has been something we've been working towards for a while, and to see it come together so well has been really exciting."
Shortly after the renovation was completed, the boutique received a notable surprise visit. Dick and Angel Strawbridge, presenters of the long-running series Escape to the Chateau, called in while in the area visiting family.
The Strawbridges, who rose to international fame through their hit series, transformed an abandoned French château into their forever home and were an inspiration behind French & Wilder's founding.
Nathan and his husband Michael were featured in the series when they got engaged and then when they were married.
Nathan said: "Having Dick and Angel walk through the door was a complete surprise, and to see them genuinely love what we've created was a special moment.
"They've been part of the story of French & Wilder, even if they didn't know it."
French & Wilder is open at 25 Market Place, Hexham. The full range of products is also available online at frenchandwilder.com.
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