The Pied Piper Appeal has opened a shop above a men's tailor in Regent Street, Cheltenham.

The pop-up joins Pied Piper's permanent shop in Brockworth which opened in 2018.

Before lockdown began, the charity's vice chair  Julie Kent approached Cheltenham BID director Kevan Blackadder asking if he could assist in finding out who owned the empty properties on Cheltenham's Promenade. which may be suitable for the venture.

Her aim was to launch a pop-up charity shop which would increase awareness of sustainability and fashion on the high street, the effects of climate change as well as raising funds for Pied Piper Appeal, which supports sick and disabled child and their families in Gloucestershire.

The coronavirus pandemic might have derailed the original plans of opening the store, but with lockdown limitations now lifting the vision is nearing reality.

Just two weeks ago, Mrs Kent set out again to find a property in the town and Giles Barton from men's tailor Horace Barton & Son came to her aid.

Mr Barton had a first-floor retail space available above his shop and kindly offered its use to the charity on a month by month basis.

Julie Kent said: "We have a whole unit full of mainly summer clothes and quite a lot of winter clothes as our shop was shut for three months and we couldn't get the stock out. The new shop will hopefully give us a chance to clear most of it rather than it goes to a rag collector.

"Ladies wear sells better than anything else and we will start with that. We hope people in Cheltenham will support it as it is on the first floor, which is not ideal but in a great spot between the Everyman Theatre and Horace Barton & Son."

The shop opens its doors today and opening hours will be Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm.