AFTER being made redundant twice in three months, for 25-year-old Anna Ironside the prospect of owning her own shop seemed almost impossible.

Last month, that dream became a reality though and she opened her own interiors shop, Anna Florence, which is already proving popular in Malton.

Decorated in the style of an apothecary, the shop, based in Market Street, specialises in vintage and natural interiors, all chosen by Anna, some of which she has found hard to part with. “One of my favourite pieces is the bureau display in the window at the moment,” she said. “People have to remind me that I do have to sell it all because pieces come in and I just want to keep them.”

Anna, who is originally from Scarborough, is undertaking a course in interior design and is looking for local artists whose work she could feature in her shop.

She said: “I’d like to feature the work of more local people. I stock some well-known names, such as Fired Earth paints, as well as encouraging up-cycling, when an everyday product can be made in to something elegant and useful.”

The ambitious interior designer will also launch the shop’s website soon at www.annaflorence.com, and free delivery and collection is offered in the Malton area.

She said: “It’s all very exciting and a bit scary at the moment because it has happened all of a sudden, but everyone has been really positive.”

Phone Anna on 01653 696185.