It's business as usual for a Galashiels florist as she prepares for a long goodbye

Emily Hodgson is giving up the lease of the Enchanted Florist at 6 High Street.

Because of its prominent location there has been much interest in taking over the outlet, and Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian, Tweeddale and Lauderdale has already submitted a planning application to change its use to her Parliamentary office.

But Emily is eager to emphasise that she will continue to trade from the Gala shop until the middle of November, at which point the business will transfer to a former garage site in Ettrick Terrace in Selkirk, which is currently being renovated.

Emily said: “I am not leaving these premises until the middle of November. Christine Graham has not taken over the lease of the premises yet, she has to apply for planning permission and so the premises is still up for rent and she might not even move into these premises.

"I want people to know that we are still open and that we are going to be open until mid-November when we are moving to Selkirk.

"The premises in Selkirk is being renovated and we have the upstairs that we have for our events, for weddings discussions with clients, and downstairs we have a workshop space.

"We are moving really because we need the extra space, we are getting busier with weddings and the current shop just didn’t provide us with the space we need.

"There was the possibility of us keeping on both spaces but the building in Selkirk works for everything we need it for.”