Covid Update - 2023/24

CUSTOMER GUIDANCE  (2023/24)

As the Covid-19 situation evolves we still need to ensure a safe shopping experience for our customers and staff. Covid-19 is still here and as a business, it is important for us to continue mitigating the risks to our staff and customers. 

This is what we'll be doing:

• Staff will continue to wear face masks
• Plastic guards will remain at the till and at the cutting table in the fabric department
• Hand sanitiser will remain available for staff and customer use
• We will be continuing to clean more often, in particular surfaces that are regularly touched

How You Can Help

• We ask that you help keep our team and other customers safe by respecting personal space when you are in our shop
• We will also be encouraging our customers to continue wearing masks when possible
• Sanitiser will remain available for you to use
• Please do not visit the shop if you are feeling unwell or have any symptoms of Covid-19.  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/

We understand that many of our customers remain vulnerable, and that what feels safe for one person may not feel for safe for another. If you have any concerns about visiting our shop, or would like to make an appointment for a machine demonstration, please get in touch.

CONTACTING US

To ease the demand on telephone calls, we ask that you send any enquiries via email where possible. We are a small team but we will get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

MACHINE SERVICING/REPAIRS

Please note that we are not able to take any bookings for machines in advance. The machine needs to be bought to the shop during opening hours and will be booked in on arrival. The expected turnaround is 10 days*, and you will receive a telephone call when the machine is ready to be collected. 

*Machine turnaround time is subject to staff availability

CLASSES REMAIN SUSPENDED

Our classes have always been a very popular and valued part of what we offer, and we were deeply saddened when we were obliged to stop them in 2020. Since then there have been continued national and international issues, and these remain extremely challenging times for a small business. Our Exeter shop is now staffed by Jenna and Chris, and we must of course focus on maintaining the shop and its services as our top priority. This means that we are still unable to offer classes.

If you are thinking about buying a new machine, we can offer several advantages as a retailer. Our independence means that you can come in and see several brands of machine alongside each other, including Brother, Janome, Bernina and Baby Lock. We can provide an unbiased opinion and advice to help you choose the right machine for you, to suit your budget and creative ambitions. And we provide machine aftercare and support.

We offer free machine demonstrations, meaning that you can see and even try the machines before making your decision. We have over fifty demonstration machines in the shop, and you are welcome to email us if there is a specific model you would like to see. Second-hand machines are also available and part-exchange is sometimes possible.

If you've already purchased your machine from us, and have any questions about it - please email us. We will do our best to answer your question or point you in the right direction.  Once you've bought a machine from us, we're here to help you make the most of it - whether that be some guidance on how to use a specific machine feature, or confirmation that a particular accessory we sell is compatible with your machine.  Of course all new machines we sell have a manufacturer's warranty, and we even offer a warranty on our second-hand and ex-demo machines. We also offer machine servicing and repairs.

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Thank you to all our customers  who have continued to support us during the last few years - we pride ourselves on our customer service and we aim to continue providing a great service to all our customers, both in our Exeter shop and online.

With much love,
Jenna & Chris & our Exeter Sewing Team

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