Alfie's Attic gears up for relaunch night

The shop front at Alfie's Attic in Lees

Fashion designer Catherine Finney and artist Simon Mound are excitedly planning an Alfie’s Attic up-cycling workshop relaunch night at Milan Bar in Lees.

Wednesday, April 18, will see the talented pair showcase their upcycled furniture and paintings again, among the relaxed surroundings at Milan Bar.

It’s been eight months since Finney, from Springhead, moved from her Diggle workshop into new premises on Lees High Street, a space that she shares with artist Mound, from Mossley.

During that time both businesses have gone from strength to strength, adding a vibrant alternative to High Street retailing with unique hand finished products restored with loving care.

The duo service the surrounding area with lots of eye-catching upcycled furniture and artwork.

Finney studied Fashion Design for seven years at Kent Institute of Art and Design to HND level, followed by a degree at the University of Preston.

She irst came up with the idea of upcycling furniture two years ago and opened the business from a Diggle workshop, naming it after her nine-year-old dog Alfie, who provides a warm welcome to customers several days a week.

It wasn’t long before Finney outgrew the premises and began to look for new workspace.

There was then a chance meeting with artist Mound, who studied at Ashton Sixth Form College and Manchester Metropolitan University, and who previously produced collections of artwork for the Manchester Versus Cancer charity, among others.

The acquisition of an empty shop on Lees High Street saw the expansion of Alfie’s Attic from a workshop to a High Street retail space and the addition of a studio for Mound.

It was a conscious decision by the pair to bring their unique talents to Lees as both lived locally at the time and wanted to bring something different to the village.

Now, people are being invited to see the launch of a new collection of upcycled furniture and paintings on April 18, at Milan Bar in Lees from 7pm.