New sustainable homeware trader moves in to Banbury's Lock29

The Essence Home shop will sell various products, including cushions, woven throws, hand-poured candles and quirky but functional homeware.

It was founded by entrepreneur Carey Burden after she was made redundant from her job in the health and social care sector after 24 years.

The change gave Carey the push she needed to pursue her long-held dream of starting her own business in September 2024.

Carey said: “I'm not sure I can actually express how excited I am to be joining the team at Lock29. I've been on cloud nine since I received confirmation that I had been granted the space.

“Reaching this milestone so early on in the journey of Essence Home is like a dream come true.

“Having a fixed retail space was always the end game, but I didn’t think it would be achievable in month five!”

To celebrate the opening on Saturday, March 1, Carey will be offering goodie bags for her first customers.

She will also have cupcakes from a local bakery, complimentary bubbly and orange juice available and 10% off all purchases throughout the day.

Welcoming Carey to Lock29 is manager Stuart McGregor, who said: “We’re proud to be a place where passionate entrepreneurs can bring their visions to life and grow their businesses.

“Carey’s journey with Essence Home is a testament to what’s possible when you combine resilience, creativity, and community support.”

For more information about Essence Home, visit:https://www.essencehome.co.uk/