Parchment Street to host mini festival for independent businesses

Parchment Street is just a minute’s walk away from Winchester High Street but loses footfall due to being “off the beaten track”.

Businesses in the road have teamed up to host a promotional weekend, titled 'Patronise Parchment Street', to raise awareness of what they have to offer.

On Friday, May 26 and Saturday, May 27, 17 Parchment Street businesses will be taking part with discounts, events and exclusive offers available as well as history tours.

READ MORE: Kyoto Kitchen announces it's moving after 11 years in Parchment Street

The event has been organised by Charlie Broom from the Cupboard of Health and Tim Beavis of Piecaramba to encourage shoppers to explore more than just the High Street.

Charlie said: “The highest concentration of independent businesses in Winchester is in this street. We’re just a stone's throw from the High Street but we always seem to get missed. It’s such a lovely eye-catching road and I’m surprised more isn’t made of it.

“People have become such immediate shoppers. Even locals don’t realise there is more down here. So we decided to be proactive and do something off our own backs to drum up footfall.”

Tim added: “The event is about growing the network between traders along Parchment Street and encouraging communal working to increase awareness that we’re here. We’re a bit off the beaten track and we want to change that to be more commonly associated with Winchester.”

Tour guide Clare Dixon postponed her holiday to offer her services. She said: “I’ve studied Parchment Street and been providing Winchester tours for the past 15 years so this seemed too good an opportunity to miss.

“It’s an interesting street that more people ought to know about. You don’t get the same kind of historical features in the High Street that have been kept here.”

Tours will start from WHSmith at 12.30pm and 2.30pm and can be booked at the Cupboard of Health for £3 per person.

Free face painting by Mrs Miles Magic will be available from 12.30pm to 4.30pm on Saturday in the covered dining area by Piecaramba. Kites by Anna Devlin's Sunnyside Art Club displayed in windows will form a treasure trail with prizes up for grabs.

Other businesses will be providing limited deals such as two for one piercings at Asgard, 10 per cent off for future bookings at Angus Podiatry and 20 per cent off at some jewellery stores.

Meanwhile, event hosts Cupboard of Health and Piecaramba will have raffles, deals and a Parchment Street pie.

SEE ALSO: Longstanding Winchester shop Forme relocating to Italy

The businesses hope the promotional weekend will increase Parchment Street pride and encourage traders to want to move into future vacant units.

The event follows re-location announcements from Kyoto Kitchen and longstanding shop Forme.

Full list of offers on May 26 and 27:

• Piecaramba will be offering a special 'Parchment Street Pie' for the weekend
• Cupboard of Health will be running 20% discounts off selected lines, offer free samples of chocolate and host a nutritional information visit from UK Natural Nutritional Health Company Viridian
• Toscanaccio will offer wine tasting
• Frieda's Tea Rooms will offer cake sample tasting
• James Jewellers will offer 20 per cent discount on most lines
• Forte Kitchen will run a special offer
• Donna Laine will run special offers on selected lines
• Diamantina, will offer 20 per cent discounts on most lines
• Enigma Hair Design will offer a raffle
• New Energy Yoga will run a special offer
• Asgard Piercing and Tattoo Studio will offer buy one get one free piercings
• Earthian, will run a raffle which will be free to enter with a purchase in-store
• Angus Podiatry will offer 10 per cent discount on appointments on both days and free tea, coffee and cake on Saturday between 1pm - 5pm.