Thomason’s Florist opens in Westhoughton and is blooming

Thomason’s Florist opened this month on Church Street adding to the town's growing reputation as a shopping and leisure destination.

The shop boasts flowers imported from Holland and a delivery service is set up too.

The owner, Lucy Ward-Thomason, 37, wanted to “put her own twist on" floristry.

She said: “We offer unusual flowers with colours you don’t see anywhere else.

“The shop feels like home.

“It’s full of plants and greenery, it’s a calming surrounding.”

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Thomason's Florist inside (Image: Newsquest)

The Westhoughton mum named the store in honour of her partner’s late grandmother Vera Thomason, who helped her find her passion.

She said: “She used to do the flowers for the church in Horwich and convinced me to volunteer at Bromilow’s Florist."

She trained there for two years there and took a course at Bolton College.

And says her floristry career "built from there.”

Lucy said flowers have improved her life.

She said: “I’ve always struggled with anxiety. But flowers have always helped me mentally.

“I find it hard to express myself, but am very good at flowers.

"It’s the only thing that I can do.”

(Image: Lucy Ward-Thomason)

When Lucy saw the storefront that would become Thomason’s Florist, she knew there was an opportunity.

She said: “For the past few years, I walked past the shop and it looked a bit run down.

“I thought it needed bringing back up.

“I always wanted my own shop, but didn’t have the confidence to do it.”

With her family’s help, she achieved her dream. And opened Thomason’s Florist.

Lucy said: “My partner, mum and kids have been my support network.

"I couldn't have done this without them and a few close friends who’ve been there the whole way.

“Because I’ve had family around me, it’s enabled me to do what I love and feel safe and secure at the same time."

In the shop, she has tried to create a soothing environment.

She said: “I want the customers to feel relaxed.

“We’re also dog-friendly. They are always welcome and there are treats under the counter for them.”

Lucy is proud to offer unique gifts and special touches.

“We try to do unusual gifts like hand-painted jars.

Unique jars at Thomason's Florist (Image: Lucy Ward-Thomason)

“Country style bouquets with greenery are my favourite arrangement.

“The right greenery makes the bouquet, I've always thought.”

They also have top-of-the-line equipment, like a flower cooler that keeps the flowers "crisp fresh".

She said: “A lot of shops don’t have them.

(Image: Lucy Ward-Thomason)

“It was an expensive piece of kit and I was lucky it was in the shop when I came.”

Thomason’s Florist is already getting rave reviews.

She said: “We have quite a few orders already.

“And people are saying the shop looks beautiful.”

To learn more, visit https://www.thomasonsflorist.co.uk/