There is so much going right now at The Crafty Bean, Boslowick, as the shop welcomes in customers for indoor dining and brand new artists.

The owners of The Crafty Bean closed their arts section for lockdown but reopened it in March, with the business now getting "busier and busier".

Since opening over a year ago, owners David and Harriett haven't been able to welcome people in to sit in the window and enjoy a coffee, something which they have been really missing.

Now there are tables by the front windows so you can watch the world go by.

Speaking on the new things at The Crafty Bean, Harriett told Nub News:

"The biggest thing is the oat milk refill station (the only one south of Exeter), it is very exciting. People can either bring in their own bottle or bring a bottle from us and refill it.

"New desserts from The Dessert Shed and we are now making sandwiches to order, Baker Tom's Foccacia, you choose a chutney and then local ham/cheddar, hummus, salad, and we have a vegan pate as well, then all our salad boxes which are all vegan/gluten-free.

"Our vegan and gluten-free market is growing week on week, the response for the oat milk has been superb.

"We have started doing stick deodorants which are totally plastic-free and they are in a cardboard tube.

"We are also now doing fresh juices to order, we have always had them on our menu but because it was lots of handling we just put it in a cup for people to takeaway. So we just wash the fruit and veg every morning, prep it, and then you order what you want. There are four on the menu, one is orange, carrot, ginger, and turmeric.

"We are doing Roskillys Vegan Ice Cream milkshakes as well as normal milkshakes and they are becoming very popular."

The shop displays work from local artists who also give back by staffing the shop, the art is displayed with no commission which keeps prices lower and the full purchase price of the artwork goes directly to them.

"The art section of the shop continues to grow, "people come in every day and comment on how it is so handy to pick up a gift/card. People's lifestyles and choices have changed because of covid that they are now able to start doing more of this, the requests of people wanting to come in and join are unbelievable. We have welcomed over 4 artists in the last month and I have a lot on waiting lists."

Out of the 23 artists selling their work in the shop only 7 come from outside of Falmouth and Penryn, which just shows a real effort to support local trade.

The shop has gained a local following which carried them through the third lockdown, and Harriett is now seeing a change in attitudes to shopping, she added:

"The whole shop local ethos is coming back, people are really starting to support local trade. Christmas was really encouraging for us, we had so many people coming into the shop and loving it, then we had to shut again. However, there has been a lot of people who have come back, everyone is positive."

There are now four barstools in the deli/cafe and David and Harriett are understandably excited at having people eat/drink in for the first time.

Click here to see more from The Crafty Bean.

[H3] See the latest news on our Twitter and Facebook pages. [.H2]