So, today I met Tina Mason Swindon Milliner. I wasn’t able to get to her pre-Christmas pop-up shops and I was on a mission. But more of that later.
Tina has opened her premises in what had been, for a good three decades, the Baguette Bar on Prospect Place, in Old Town. And way before that the premises held an Arkell’s off-licence followed by a newsagent/off-licence/sweet shop called Drury’s. Thus, via all those businesses, the premises hold memories for many Swindonians. Indeed Arkell’s still owned the building and, as Tina related, it’s been something of a saga buying it. But it’s theirs now.
Tina outside the shop on Prospect Place
Original features
Having sold their home in Haydon Wick to buy the property and to make the flat above the shop their home, Tina and her husband have been busy restoring the place.
How it all started
Tina quit her job as a beauty therapist so she could turn her hobby into a full-time career. Back in 2020, Tina set about getting a professional, City & Guilds qualification and then proceeded to spend lockdown perfecting her craft and learning from online experts.
As Tina told the Advertiser: ‘I’ve always been a hat lover and grew frustrated with not being able to find something that went with my outfits, so I started customising hats from the Outlet – retrimming them – and then learned how to make the hats themselves from a retired milliner.’
She’d been trading at wedding fairs but was tired of humping everything about so wanted a space for customers to be able to chat about their needs. And now she has one!
Hats off to her I say!!
Swindon’s new town crier
As the aforementioned Adver article describes, Tina recently made a hat for Rob Hardy, Swindon’s new town crier.
‘She ensured the fine piece of headwear had the right weight of felt, robust brim edging, fitted leather sweatband, embroidered lining, a colour-matching petersham ribbon trim, and the special addition of an historic GWR badge sourced from an online antique dealer.’
Photo by Jeanette Ellis
My mission
Just before Christmas I espied this hat on Tina’s Facebook page but I had no chance to get to the shop before the festive season. Thus my purpose in going there today. How cute & jolly is this? That’s now going away in readiness for next Christmas. Ho, ho, ho!
Photo credit: Jeanette Ellis
Where to find Tina in the ether
Visit her website here: https://masonmillinery.co.uk
Find her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/mason_millinery/?hl=en
Tina and her husband are still busy with renovations – there’s going to be a grand opening at the end of February. Exciting!
Saturday 28th February
