In an increasingly fast-paced world, it’s important to find time to sit down and socialise.
Here, in our latest Business of the Week feature, Lauren and Hannah tell us about their pottery painting studio in Lymm and how they want to help people make memories.
If you would like your business to feature as Business or Trader of the Week, email tabitha.wilson@newsquest.co.uk
What’s your full name?
Lauren Rowland and Hannah Muir
What’s the name of the business?
Craft and Common
What’s the address?
Lymm – 4-6 Eagle Brow, Lymm, Cheshire, WA130AB
Lytham St Annes – 45 Woodlands Road, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 1DA
Lancaster – 7 Chapel Street, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 1NZ
Are you the owner/manager?
Yes
When did you open the business?
We opened the first studio in Lytham St Annes in October 2023, followed by our Lymm studio in November 2024 and Lancaster in June 2025.
Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?
We are based in the North West and have strong ties to the areas we operate in.
Opening studios in Lytham St Annes, Lymm, and Lancaster felt like a natural fit due to the strong local communities and independent business scenes in each location.
Tell me a bit about your business
Craft + Common is a unique, licensed pottery painting studio and bar with three welcoming locations, created to bring people together through creativity, connection, and good vibes.
Pick your pottery, grab a drink, and paint at your own pace.
Pottery painting at Craft + Common is relaxed, fun, and totally beginner-friendly.
No experience needed – just choose your colors, get creative, and we’ll take care of the glazing and firing.
Our menu offers a mix of cocktails, mocktails, wine, fizz, and beer as well as hot and soft drinks – perfect for sipping while you get creative.
We offer a selection of cakes, savoury snacks, and cheese and charcuterie sharing boards – ideal for groups or a little something on the side while you paint.
Opening times and further information for our Lymm studio can be found via the link below: https://www.craftandcommon.co.uk/lymm
What do you do? What services do you provide?
We offer pottery painting sessions in a relaxed, social setting that’s perfect for all ages, groups, and artistic talents.
Whether you’re here for a quiet moment of creativity or a lively gathering with friends, our space is all about making memories and masterpieces!
We’re all about celebrating the feel-good moments: from birthday celebrations and girls’ nights out to cozy date nights, family time, and team socials.
We also host a variety of events, including our popular Pizza, Prosecco and Pottery Painting evening, which takes place a couple of times a month.
Upcoming events in Lymm: https://www.craftandcommon.co.uk/events-lymm
Why did you decide to open your own business, and what’s your business background?
We’re Lauren and Hannah, best friends for 14 years and co-founders of Craft + Common.
After school, uni, traveling, and working overseas in fashion and hospitality, we decided it was time to team up, put our experience together, and create something of our own.
When we returned to our hometown in 2023, we booked a spontaneous pottery painting trip, something we hadn’t done since we were kids.
It felt nostalgic, fun, and pretty special.
We left feeling inspired… and the very next day, we started planning what would eventually become Craft + Common.
Why this type of business?
We loved the idea of taking a childhood activity we’d always loved and reimagining it for grown-ups – still wholesome, still creative, but with a relaxed vibe, great music, and a wine (or two).
We opened our first studio in our hometown of Lytham St Annes.
The support we received showed us that what we were doing really resonated with people.
With the help of a lovely little team, we opened our second studio in Lymm, Cheshire, a year later.
Now our third, opening in Lancaster in June 2025.
What makes your business different from others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?
What sets Craft and Common apart is our focus on creating a distinctly grown-up creative experience.
Unlike traditional craft studios, we combine hands-on activities such as pottery painting with a relaxed, alcohol-licensed environment, making creativity feel social and enjoyable for adults.
Our studios are thoughtfully designed to feel welcoming and modern, with a strong emphasis on atmosphere, community, and experience rather than just the end product.
This combination allows us to offer something that feels both nostalgic and contemporary, setting us apart from others in the same field.
Why do loyal customers return to your business?
We believe customers return because of the warm, welcoming atmosphere our team does their best to create at each studio.
Alongside our relaxed and ‘feel good’ atmosphere, this personal touch helps make Craft and Common a place people enjoy coming back to.
What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your business?
Over the coming months, we’re focused on strengthening our presence in each location and continuing to nurture the local creative communities that have formed around our studios.
We’re proud of how Craft and Common have grown so far and, looking ahead, we hope to continue to expand into new communities while staying true to the welcoming, personal approach that has shaped the business from the start.