Shop Talk: Discovering their own pots of gold

It's that converted barn with outside stairs that serve as a display case for terracotta pots, giant wicker hampers, woven baskets, pots, planters and a cheerful sunflower - which is actually growing there and not for sale.

Despite its name, it sells not only pottery but a good range of other crafts and gifts, many of them locally produced.

It started life as a pottery, owned and run by Charlie Boys, whose work is still sold there. But four years ago Anne and Stephen Hawley took it over .

"We'd run a tea room and craft shop in Dent, where we still live, and we wanted to concentrate on the craft side, so we took this on and branched out, expanded the range," says Anne.

The result is a cheerful mix of goods and gifts, all a bit different from the usual run of the mill.

So, as well as a good range of Aysgarth pottery, including decorative plaques and pictures, there are enormous terracotta pots from Littlethorpe Pottery near Ripon and there are cards made in Sedbergh. Stephen makes wooden spice cupboards, cabinets and mirrors in bleached and painted wood. Ann makes cot quilts and dried flower arrangements.

There are boxes, bird feeders, dolls, wonderful knitwear by Sophie's Wild Woollens of Dent - jumpers with pockets like flower pots with wild embroidered flowers growing out of them.

Anne and Stephen are workers. As well as a growing family, they both have other jobs and take it in turns to travel over from Dent every day to open up - as well as putting all those pots and baskets out on display and watering the plants.

In the summer, they were open every day. At this time of year, they open from Wednesday to Sunday and in the winter it's weekends only. "Unless it snows, in which case we think that if we can't get there, well, customers can't either, so we stay at home," says Anne. And in between their other jobs and family, they spend some of the winter making stock for the next season.

Like other businesses in the dale they were hit badly last summer. Thankfully, this year has seen at least some of the visitors returning, though locals too, use them for cards and unusual gifts.

There are kites and cats, cushions and candles, jokey mottoes - "Life's too short for ironing" and even a hammock from which to survey it all. The more you look, the more you'll find.

The dictionary defines "emporium" as "a large shop" or " a shop containing produce from many different sources." Sounds spot on.

Just mind your head and don't trip over the baskets.

* Aysgarth Pottery Emporium, Main Street, Aysgarth, on the A684between Leyburn and Hawes. Tel: (01969) 663503. Best check for weekday opening.

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