By Liam O’Sullivan
Farsley’s Emma White has hit the national spotlight in recent weeks following her appearances on the popular BBC Two series All That Glitters: Britain’s Next Jewellery Star.
The successful contemporary jeweller and jewellery teacher set up her studio and workshop at the Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley nearly ten years ago. She is currently based at Red Lane Mill within the historic complex but is now renovating the area to make a larger workshop.
Emma thanked the landlords of Sunny Bank Mills, John and William Gaunt, for making the expansion possible. She said: “I’m very excited to be expanding into the Twisting Gallery, I have been a tenant at Sunny Bank Mills since 2013 and I love being part of the hub of creativity and energy that landlords John and William Gaunt have nurtured.”
Sunny Bank Mills has been transformed from an historic mill to a modern office and mixed-use retail, arts and leisure complex, creating 400 sustainable new jobs.
The renovation of Emma’s workshop within the complex will involve the knocking down of the wall which separates the Red Lane Mill and the Twisting Gallery, making a larger space for her.
The expansion of the workshop is something that benefits not only Emma, but also the landlords. William Gaunt said: “The regeneration of the Twisting Gallery is another piece in the jigsaw in the regeneration of Sunny Bank Mills. Once the renovation is completed in October, it will be a tremendously stimulating space in the heart of our mill complex.”
Emma’s recent rise in popularity at the ever-growing complex epitomises what Sunny Bank Mills is trying to add to the community.
William Gaunt added: “It is also fitting that Emma has made her home here, as she is a true Yorkshire craftsperson and maker, which chimes in with the mill’s rich history. Her decision to expand her business here is a tremendous endorsement of our ever-growing creative community at Sunny Bank Mills.”
You can watch Emma on All That Glitters: Britain’s Next Jewellery Star, which is broadcast every Thursday at 9pm on BBC Two and is also streaming on BBC iPlayer. The BBC Two show, hosted by Katherine Ryan, is searching for UK’s next up-and-coming jewellery star.
