A florist who closed her high street shop in favour of a cabin at the end of her garden says her life has been transformed by the move.

Entrepreneurial mum Ellen Hunt launched Ellen's Florist just over a decade ago in Waterloo Road, Norwich, after working in the industry all her life.

But the Hainford parent was forced to put the shutters down in March last year as the pandemic set in.

Norwich Evening News: The former home of Ellen's Florist in Waterloo Road in Norwich before owner Ellen Hunt switched to working from her Hainford home in the Covid lockdownThe former home of Ellen's Florist in Waterloo Road in Norwich before owner Ellen Hunt switched to working from her Hainford home in the Covid lockdown (Image: Ellen's Florist)

And after "re-evaluating her life" she restarted her business from a newly-built cabin in her garden - and she has never looked back.

Her two part-time staff are also joining her at the new site, and the trio are just as busy as they always have been.

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Mrs Hunt, who has an eight-year-old daughter, said: "When we went back to clear up the shop it felt a bit sad because it was my workplace for a long time. We put a lot of love into it.

"When the shops reopened we wondered what to do but we were so worried about catching Covid by reopening and letting people down who ordered flowers for funerals and weddings. Everyone was quite fearful."

She said at first during the lockdown her husband could home school their daughter and after he returned to work she took it on.

Mrs Hunt found that being at home meant taking, making up and delivering orders was easier to organise alongside school pick-up and drop-offs because it offered her and another staff member flexibility.

"We are more streamlined. It was a juggling act before. I didn't realise how much running around I did until I stopped. It is a nicer work-life balance now," the businesswoman added.

Norwich Evening News: Ellen Hunt, owner of Ellen's Florist, which now operates from Hainford after moving from NorwichEllen Hunt, owner of Ellen's Florist, which now operates from Hainford after moving from Norwich (Image: Ellen's Florist)

The 42-year-old said her business had not suffered too much in the lockdown and weddings were popular after restrictions eased, which made up for lost earnings.

She said the move to home working had prompted an overhaul of her website and encouraged her to re-educate herself about Instagram and Facebook to capture the online market.

Mrs Hunt said she was proud of her business, which still offers face-to-face appointments.

She said the most important thing for budding entrepreneurs was to do their research.