You and Yours

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You and Yours: Tufting; Weight loss adverts; Cladding

16/07/2021

Tufting; Weight loss adverts; Cladding

BBC Radio 4 - You and Yours, Tufting; Weight loss adverts; Cladding

We hear from the new generation of social media rug-makers, called tufters.

A new generation are finding the world of tufting - that's rug-making if you don't know.

Independent high street business debt has more than quadrupled over the last year. New research suggests smaller independent high street businesses owe £1.7billion and, as business support measures are withdrawn, thousands are vulnerable to closure.  With 17,500 chain stores closing in 2020, the report warns a tsunami of smaller independents could soon follow. We will be talking to one business owner who previously had no debt, but is now facing an uncertain future having taken covid relief. 

Social media often throws up its fair share of strange trends, sea shanties pop to mind. However that may have been toped recently with the arrival of tufting. 
Tufting is the art of rug making, with either a punch needle or tufting gun. #rugtiktok has been viewed over 500 million times on the platform, it seems like people can't get enough of it.
We’ll be talking to one tufter who goes by the name CurrieGOAT, and also hear from the Heritage Craft Association about how this new interest is helping revive an old craft. 

And new research shows that independent high street business debt has more than quadrupled over the last year, standing at £1.7bn. With 17,500 chain stores closing in 2020, the report warns a tsunami of smaller independents could soon follow. We will be talking with business owners who have gone in to debt in the pandemic and have concerns for future of their livelihood. 

Presented by Peter White
Produced by Dave James

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