Oxfordshire craft centre stars in Sarah Beeny’s New Country Lives on Channel 4
Jon and Kay at The Maker Space, share the exciting news that Oxfordshire’s very own independent craft venue, in Nuffield, is to star in the new series of Sarah Beeny’s Country Lives on Channel 4. >>
Founded and run by Jon Doughty and Kay Surman, The Maker Space will feature in episodes of the new series during June, along with other families who moved to start new projects in the country. The series is currently on air every weekday, which started from Monday 29th May.
The Maker Space is a modern craft venue, shop, café and community space in a former 17th century pub building near Henley-on-Thames. Jon and Kay took over the abandoned pub in 2020 and have lovingly restored it, turning it into a beautiful creative space. Jon, previously in web design, and Kay, a former Disney creative executive, moved from London to Oxfordshire to follow their passion for crafts and creativity.
The TV shows follow them working on restoration and creative projects, including creating a new event space, hosting workshops and craft fairs and rolling out a new mobile café.
The Maker Space hosts a range of classes, socials and multi day courses covering all types of crafts including silversmithing (with Kay’s sister & fellow Indie Oxford member Amy Surman), crochet, jewellery making, sewing, quilting, beading, mosaics, printmaking and woodcarving with many more to come. It has workrooms, a craft store and a welcoming café.
Kay says: “Our goal with The Maker Space was always to create a community hub that allowed space for creativity and made crafts more accessible. There can be so many positive benefits to crafting, especially in a social setting. We want to be able to introduce people to crafts, provide a resource and give people the opportunity to create and build community too.“
Jon adds: “Reimagining the derelict pub and starting the business itself has been a creative project, and we are delighted to be able to share some of that through the new series. It was a wonderful experience being involved in the show and we can’t wait to share some of our creative journey.“
To find out more about all the workshops on offer at The Maker Space, the gorgeous modern craft supplies and handmade goods they stock and their cosy cafe and garden head to The Maker Space website now.
