Inside Hitchin’s free Shop Small Studios opening on 17 August

Shop Small Studios opens its permanent Hitchin creative hub to the public on Monday, 17 August 2026, from 10am to 4pm. Entry is free at 16/17 Market Place, next to Etcetera in the Churchgate Shopping Centre, and the opening is intended for the general public.

According to details published by North Herts Council, the new venue brings retail displays, working studios, an exhibition area and space for creative workshops into a previously unused town-centre unit. More than 20 local creatives can sell or present their work there without taking on individual premises.

Local makers move into a permanent high-street space

Shop Small Studios follows the Shop Small Pop Up markets held at Hitchin Town Hall and the Christmas pop-up shops previously run on Churchyard Walk. Founder and creative director Jemma Larkin said the organisation has operated pop-up markets and shops in Hitchin since 2022, with the new hub representing a permanent stage in that work.

Seven resident creatives have been named: Cathy Smale, The Celestial Archive, Kim Raymont, Make Your Own Happy, Rebecca Morgan Garden Design, Squorn-artist and Studio SideFX. Other businesses will also use the retail area, with new additions expected each month.

The move gives participating makers a presence in a central shopping location. Councillor Tamsin Thomas, North Herts Council’s executive member for enterprise, said the permanent home would support local traders while adding choice to Hitchin town centre.

What visitors will find inside Shop Small Studios

The front of the venue is arranged as a shop selling goods from local businesses. The range listed by the organisers includes candles, jewellery, stationery, toys, children’s clothing, furniture, puzzles, homeware, art and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Beyond the retail area, visitors can enter open studios where designers and artists work. An exhibition space sits at the back, while a central table is intended to host creative workshops. The layout means a visit can include browsing finished products, seeing resident creatives at work and viewing exhibitions in the same venue.

No individual workshop programme is included in the opening announcement, so visitors interested in a particular session should check the venue’s current information before travelling specifically for one.

Opening-day details and weekly hours

The permanent-hub opening is listed for 17 August from 10am until 4pm, with free entry and public access. For subsequent visits, the venue has published the following regular schedule:

The source does not provide transport or accessibility guidance. It describes the venue as open to the public but lists no separate booking instructions for general admission.

Shop Small Studios is at 16/17 Market Place within the Churchgate Shopping Centre. Current venue information and announcements are available through @shopsmallstudios on Instagram and Facebook and the Shop Small Studios website.

Source: North Herts Council News