Booming Jedburgh knitwear business is weaving a brighter future

Catryna Reid at Thistle and Tweed, High Street, Jedburgh. Photo: Bill McBurnie

The owner of a booming knitwear business which has proved a hit with both townsfolk and tourists in Jedburgh has revealed exciting expansion plans.

Catryna Reid launched Thistle and Tweed, a knitwear and accessories venture, as an online outlet back in 2016.

It proved a hit with online shoppers and she opened a small premises at 33 High Street a couple of years later.

After overcoming the challenges of the pandemic the business really started to thrive, specialising in locally sourced knitwear, accessories, gifts and jewellery which have proved a particular draw for passing-through-town tourists.

Now Catryna, who has a background in sales, is taking the business to the next level with a plan to move into a much larger outlet in the town, the now-vacant former youth community hub at 5 to 7 High Street.

The hub was initially successful and popular but following the pandemic and successive lock-downs it never reopened and has been vacant for some time.

A planning application for the change of use of the premises has been submitted to Scottish Borders Council and work on the conversion is ongoing, with it pencilled in to open its doors before Christmas.

Mum-of-three Catryna, 45, said: “I have been really well supported by local people and now the existing shop is just too small and I’m lucky that I have been able to secure this other shop.

“It’s been challenging because it has turned into a massive renovation but luckily I’m married to a joiner who has managed to do all the work.

“We have been very lucky as tourism has picked up again since Covid and Jedburgh is quite a passing-through place, with everybody going up to Edinburgh, and I’ve had a really good summer this year.

“I’ve just decided to take it to the next step with a bigger shop which is more wheelchair and pushchair-friendly and I can have the web stock in the shop as well instead of having it elsewhere.”

Catryna, who moved to the Scottish Borders with her family from Burnley when she was six, added: “When we transfer to the new premises in November we will hopefully rent out the existing shop because you need a collection of nice shops to draw people into the town.”