The Green is Washington Village’s hidden gem. Made up of a florist, a tea room, and a gift shop, it’s at the heart of where people come together.
Having spent all of their lives in Washington, Kelly and Wayne are the proud owners of The Green, a space in which the community can eat, drink, and spend quality time together. As Kelly says, “We have created a hidden gem in the heart of Washington which overlooks the beautiful village green.” It’s built of a bespoke florist, a gift shop filled with local artist crafts and quirky finds, and a vintage tea room jam-packed with homemade cakes, biscuits, and scones.
Happy spaces
To Kelly and Wayne, bringing people together and spending quality time with friends and family is extremely important. “Before our businesses, we loved to seek out places that felt like the shops we’ve built.” Using Wayne’s entrepreneurial mind, Kelly took his visions and helped to produce something amazing. They also own and run The Forge restaurant across the village, and as Kelly says, “We’re happy to have created spaces that people love just as much, if not more, than we do.”
“The community support was amazing, we didn’t realise how much they needed us.”
Coming together
During the collective tough time that was the Covid pandemic, businesses like The Green had to adapt. For Kelly and Wayne, that unfortunately meant they had to close. But in line with government guidance, they managed to make it work. “We worked as a takeaway from our green door every day,” says Kelly, “the community support was amazing, we didn’t realise how much they needed us too until this happened.”
Helping Sunderland flourish
Kelly hopes, just as we all do, to see more people loving the place they live and work. “We need to give Sunderland a boost,” Kelly believes, “and shout about all the beautiful things going on here.” All whilst supporting local businesses and volunteering in groups like the Washington Bloomers, a group which the couple gratefully thank their scenic location to. They hope to see Sunderland become a more inviting place for all, and be a key part of that growth themselves.
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Find out more about Kelly and Wayne’s The Green.