A GIFT shop selling the work of Somerset Makers and artists is set to open in a town centre shop in Taunton.

Rocket and Bird will be sited in The Courtyard, off St James Street.

Products and items will range from jewellery to handbags, candles to chocolate, cushions to keyrings, greetings cards to artworks and more.

Everything is produced by Somerset Makers, with at least half of them based in Taunton.

The shop owners, Susie Thomas and Jeanette Crawford, are both makers and have their own small businesses in Taunton.

They will be working in an upstairs studio space, with the shop downstairs.

Susie said: "We have both been running our creative businesses for many years and we want to support other small local creative businesses.

"When the shop is up and running we will also be running business workshops for different elements of running a creative business."

Agents Humberts Commercial have let the premises on a quoting rent of £8,500 a year.

The two-storey retail unit features a ground floor sales area and office/storage room on the first floor.

Stephen Richards, who heads up the commercial division for Humberts, which let the premises, said: "We are pleased that we have been able to agree a quick letting of the retail unit.

"The properties in The Courtyard are always popular due to their boutique location in St James Street and we had several offers for the property before agreeing a letting ranging from hairdressers through to florists."