Chapter 3 - And so to build…

Having scorned advice from friends and family to avoid buying in Bexhill, we have now ‘laughed in the face’ of further opinion by trying to find a builder.

Comments such as ‘ like gold dust’, ‘very expensive’, ‘ at least 6 months waiting to start’ and other such gloomy predictions are forthcoming. Anyway, not my problem, I have washed my hands of anything structural and plan to breeze in and do the pretty bits once the shop is ready to go.

Meeting Vikki for lunch a few weeks ago at the De La Warr, sharing thoughts, gossip and the like she just happened to say ‘ You don’t need a builder do you?’ Ha! Funny that. And so Rose came into our life. Yes, Rose, our Lady builder. Local to St Leonards, Rose has fostered over 50 children, babies and young adults, does DIY workshops called the Handywoman Academy, helps out as a part time private detective and loves cats! What is so brilliant about her is how sensitive and positive she is about the building. I see dripping walls, lichen, mould and damp everywhere and the unmistakable smell of rot. She sees a building in need of sensitive restoration to let it shine forth in all its former glory.

And so we have a small and flexible team led by Rose, cracking on and every day revealing more and more of what will be a magnificent shop and gallery. Ground floor and eventually, lower ground floor. As the partitions and walls come down, the size of the space has revealed itself. My fabulous, large  antique Rajasthani furniture that filled so much of the shop in Dulwich now looks like Dolls House furniture. That’s how big it is!