THE CRAFT House in Saltaire is hoping to bring art and afternoon tea experience packages to the district's business offer with the creation of a new shop.

After more than three years in the historic village, work is underway on a second space on Main Street in Bingley which boasts a "fantastic" studio space for workshops and film nights.

April Chamberlain, the owner of The Craft House, has applied for a license to serve alcohol and to play music and films seven-days-a-week between 9am-11pm.

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The Craft House already hosts popular arts and craft workshops like glass painting, drawing, stitching, scarf-making classes and lantern making.

April believes experience days are the next big thing in the business world with many people preferring to buy moments for their loved ones over physical presents.

She also feels more locals are taking up creative activities to boost their own mental wellbeing.

She told the Telegraph & Argus: "In Saltaire we get a lot of people coming for workshops. We encourage them to use the cafe's in Saltaire.

"It's nicer if it's all under one roof.

"We often get people coming who don't know the area. It's nice if you can fully look after them.

"Our strategy with the licence: we've ended up with such a lovely space, it would lend itself to a few different activities.

"We've run creative writing before.

"We think poetry nights would be lovely.

"It's to make sure we preserve some flexibility.

"There will be a fantastic workshop space. This space has turned out so beautifully."

It's an emotional reunion for April with her hometown, having grown up in Bingley and remembering when the unit was used as a shoe shop and later for charity purposes.

The cafe and workshop space will be rented out to people for events or creative birthday parties once up and running next year.

April says despite the uncertain economy over Brexit, she feels businesses should push forward with their plans.

The entrepreneur explained: "Things are very uncertain on the world business stage but we've got to keep moving forwards.

"I'm a Bingley girl. It's somewhere we've had our eye on as a place to be 'coming up'," she said.

It marks the start of a new business era for Saltaire with a new networking forum in the works.

It is hoped that the different business owners can work together to help the highstreet continue to thrive.

April said: "We're getting a new business network up and running and we're planning to kick that off early next year to bring more creative and traditional business together every two months - for the businesses to do business together."