The Bolthole

The Bolthole occupies a former haberdasher's shop at 4 The Wharfage in Ironbridge, overlooking the River Severn. Interior designer Debra Harris and textile designer Sarah Fennell-Fox founded the business in 2020, fitting out the building as a retail gallery selling work from more than sixty local and national makers alongside a programme of craft workshops. Courses run at the shop have included upholstery for beginners, paper lantern making and printed paper techniques, taught by visiting artisans rather than in-house staff alone. An in-house café serves locally roasted coffee to visitors browsing the gallery or waiting for a class to start. The business gained wider attention in 2021 when Repair Shop presenter Jay Blades visited and worked alongside its founders. The Bolthole operates as a single site in Ironbridge, distinct from the trinket and souvenir shops elsewhere along the Gorge, with stock and workshops that change through the year.