Crowds gathered this morning for the opening of an independent jewellery and gifting brand.

The female-founded Lisa Angel welcomed shoppers to its latest branch in Abbeygate Street, Bury St Edmunds.

This is the second Suffolk store for founder and creative director Lisa, who also opened a shop in Southwold in July this year.

The Bury store, formerly home to Phase Eight, sells trend-led, handmade, and personalised products, including jewellery and homeware, as well as its in-house dried flower brand, The Norfolk Flower Room.

A creative team at its head office near Norwich source, design, craft and personalise products.

The 51-year-old, who lives in Norwich and it was were started her company in 2004, said she has always loved visiting Suffolk, especially as her husband David is from Woodbridge.

It was her plan to one day expand her business to Suffolk and said she jumped on the opportunity when the Phase Eight building became vacant.

“I’m so excited to be here,” said Lisa. “It means so much to finally get what we always wanted – a place that’s busy and has strong local customer support.

“I really love Suffolk, and we didn’t know if it would work out, but we had rough plans to open two shops in the county this year.

“I feel so happy to have managed to open the store – it’s been a long time coming.

“Obviously, we opened our Southwold store in July, but that was the first store in many years.”

Lisa said she would often visit Bury for shopping and has always loved the independent retailers.

She now feels proud to be part of the town, which she described as thriving.

She said: “All the shops here are opened and busy, which is great.

“The warm welcome we have been given from shop owners and customers is so nice.”

To mark the opening, customers were treated to taster drinks from Edmunds Cocktails, and those who spent more than £30 were given a free limited edition Bury St Edmunds tote bag.

This year, the business marked its 20th birthday.

Lisa started making and selling jewellery from her Norfolk home in 2004 before she opened two stores in Norwich.

The Bury store is Lisa’s fourth shop.

Phase Eight moved to a bigger premises at the arc Shopping Centre in Bury.