Dame Joanna Lumley, famously known for her role in ‘Absolutely Fabulous,’ made her inaugural visit to Stroud this week to unveil the brand-new Home of Vintage market at the Five Valleys Shopping Centre. The actress, soon to celebrate her 80th birthday, expressed a deep affection for the town, even joking about retiring from acting to settle in the Cotswolds.
The Home of Vintage is set to become the region’s largest vintage market, hosting over 30 bespoke units featuring artists, makers, collectors, booksellers, retro décor vendors, and specialists in pre-loved fashion. This vibrant space forms part of a £31 million redevelopment of the Five Valleys Shopping Centre by Dransfield Properties Ltd., which has been transforming the building since acquiring it in 2018.
Invited by Mark Dransfield, Chairman of Dransfield Properties, Dame Joanna officially opened the market on Thursday, April 23. A joyful crowd gathered outside the centre, cheering as she addressed them.
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“This is my first time in Stroud. Oh my god, what have you been hiding from me? I adore it here! It’s been something I’ve looked forward to forever,” Lumley said. “Everything I’ve seen makes me want to stay. If you spot me around more often, it’s because I’ve bought a house here. I think that’s the end of my acting career—end of London—and hello Stroud. I simply adore it here.”
Lumley revealed her long-standing collaboration with Mark Dransfield, having worked together for nearly two decades to reopen shopping centres across the UK. She emphasized the significance of Stroud to Dransfield and herself: “He only invites me to open centres that mean a great deal to him, and Stroud has been something exceptionally special.”
The ceremony included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque outside the shopping centre, marking the occasion, complete with Lumley’s signature. Inside, she greeted fans enthusiastically, posed for selfies, and participated in a ribbon-cutting to officially launch The Home of Vintage.
Guided by Mr. Dransfield, Lumley toured the marketplace, engaging warmly with each stallholder and even making a few purchases. Natasha, owner of ethical homeware company Karakorum, was pleasantly surprised when Lumley bought handmade Soapstone hearts, intended as gifts. “She’s an icon, really kind and encouraging,” Natasha shared.
Rebecca Dransfield, proprietor of Vintage by Rebecca, a designer and pre-loved vintage clothing shop, echoed the sentiment: “Having Joanna Lumley open my shop was incredible. She’s such a lovely icon, and the fact she shares my passion for vintage is amazing.”
Summing up her experience, Lumley stated, “The Home of Vintage is sensational. If I were in Stroud tomorrow, I’d spend all day here, slowly wandering, loading up a trolley with treasures from every stall. It’s simply divine—I love it.”