Independent Welsh retailer Driftwood Designs has opened a new shop in Bala.

Located at 63 High Street, next door to The White Lion Royal Hotel, it opened on Saturday, 2 May.

Driftwood Designs is an Aberystwyth-based company, run by old school friends Lizzie Spikes and Becky Barratt. It was formed at Becky's kitchen table in 2012 and the opening of the latest store in Bala marks the expansion to their fourth physical shop.

The stores offer a large collection of cards, prints, homewares, gifts and more, all designed by artist Lizzie Spikes.

Becky said: “Business-wise we had been looking north for a location for the next shop for some time. A friend asked if we had considered opening a shop in the area and the idea began to take shape. We visited a number of towns, but none matched Bala for its real town feeling. We quickly fell in love with the Old Chocolate Shop and everything just seemed to fall into place”.

Lizzie finds the landscape and culture of Eryri (formerly known as Snowdonia) an inspiration and has created a large body of work based on exploring the National Park’s many mountains, lakes and trails.

She said: “I love the drive north to the mountains of Eryri and the shift in the colours and shapes of the landscape, from the more mellow coast near Aberystwyth up to the craggy beauty of Dolgellau and beyond.

“Y Bala sits in a beautiful place with the striking Aran Fawddwy mountain range and the ever-changing reflections of Llyn Tegid”.

Lizzie and Becky hope that their new shop, which sits in the middle of Bala’s long strip of a high street, will add some Driftwood Designs sparkle to the rich selection of small independent retailers already celebrated by the town.