All smiles from The Haberdashery duo Afton Ferguson and Nikki Fairful
Exclusive Tour
We were recently invited to view Glasgow’s latest wedding and events space, The Haberdashery on the Charing Cross side of Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street, so couldn’t resist a look around.
Our Fuze Ambassador George McLean got an exclusive personal tour by entrepreneur duo Afton Ferguson and Nikki Fairful.
History
Formerly an old tailor’s back in 1923, this hidden gem is one of Glasgow’s most unique and inspiring venues, offering a collection of versatile spaces suitable for weddings, events and business functions. Nikki and Afton named The Haberdashery to serve as a reminder of the buildings past and Scottish industrial roots. And to provide inspiration to future creators or guests who gather under its impressive original design.
This new wedding and event space stands out with its exposed brick and light airy feel
Nikki and Afton said; “It’s a hidden gem. It’s so sad it has been abandoned for so long. It’s taken longer than we thought to bring the space back up to its former glory, but it has been worth the wait, and the effort. We spent a week brushing the stonework alone – there was so much dust.
We wanted to respect the space and maintain its charm, while giving an old building a fresh perspective.”
Q&A
During the tour and visit, George spent some time with Nikki and delved a little deeper into her and Afton’s past, what they see the future looking like for The Haberdashery and what working alongside Fuze as a preferred celebrant supplier means to them.
Tell us a little bit about your background?
Afton studied Business and Law at Strathclyde University and I studied Business and Spanish at Heriot Watt University. We both always wanted to start a business venture and when we found the venue it was impossible to say no. Afton and I both have experience in wedding and event planning, so are on hand to help with any queries or guidance that our couples require.
What inspired you to start this venture?
We both loved the idea of providing a space that is versatile and creative and allows couples to have the freedom to personalise their wedding day and do something different. We market the space as a blank canvas in order to give couples the flexibility to bring in their own suppliers and style the wedding with their choice of décor.
What makes The Haberdashery a perfect wedding venue?
One of the reasons we fell in love with the venue was the exposed brick walls and hardwood flooring. It makes the venue feel very romantic and special while also being a really cool space. We painted the ceiling with traditional cornicing black to create a contrast between traditional and modern and then hung Edison style lightbulbs to amplify this.
We also feel the size of the venue is perfect. From light décor to the full works the venue can be whatever you want it to be! The Haberdashery is big enough to fit a seated capacity of 120 and standing of 225 but it still feels intimate. A lot of brides and grooms have complimented the fact the venue doesn’t feel intimidating, which is so important to us as we wanted to create a more informal and relaxed setting.
How do couples react to a city centre location?
Generally, people have been very excited to have a new venue opening in Glasgow! We feel there’s a real lack of creative event spaces in the city centre that offer complete exclusive use. There’s something special about having your big day in a private venue that makes it feel more personal.
In terms of the venues location, we feel that Sauchiehall street has so much potential, and we are very excited to be able to bring some positivity and life back to the area! There is on-street parking and plenty of links to public transport. We also have a side street with good access for coaches. So, getting here isn’t a problem!
What does it mean to work alongside Fuze and the unique bespoke services we provide wedding couples?
We are really looking forward to working with Fuze – we like what you stand for. We just felt your diversity, and the fact you make everything so accessible for couples is fantastic! We love that Fuze offers guidance throughout the whole ceremony planning process – from the legal side of things right down to the personal details, which we feel is invaluable to couples. We also really like The Fuze Foundation’s dedication to charitable organisations because this is something that we feel passionate about as individuals and as a business!
The Haberdashery now sits proudly restored on Sauchiehall Street Glasgow
Book A Visit
Click here to get in touch and make an appointment for a show around this amazing wedding, events and celebrations venue. Our celebrant team at Fuze can’t wait to start collaborating and performing ceremonies at Nikki and Afton’s wonderful venue, The Haberdashery.
Thanks for having us round.
Add our smiles to yours
No two couples are the same so no two ceremonies should be the same. At Fuze we work alongside our couples to make their ceremony script is unique, personal and bespoke. It’s your day your way with us, so let us add our smiles to yours. To check all of our amazing celebrant’s live availability for your special date click here!
