For the last 20 years, I have offered a free advice service on intellectual property and technology law to tenants of the Barnsley Business Village and other local businesses known as "Initial Advice and Signposting". One of those tenants is Clea Digital which hosts a monthly event at the Business Village called the Creative Collective. I attended that event yesterday because the guest speaker was Rita Britton.
Ms Britton is a living legend because she set up and ran a remarkable business called "Pollyanna." This was a shop in Barnsley town centre that sold clothes and accessories from the world's top designers. Though I am not sure whether I ever bought anything other than refreshments in the shop's cafe, I made a point of visiting it to admire the merchandise whenever I was in Barnsley. If I met a visitor from another part of the UK or from overseas I would send them to the shop. Ms Britton closed Pollyanna in 2014 after suffering a stroke and brain haemorrhage (see Rita Britton closes Pollyanna boutique in Barnsley after 50 years 16 June 2014 BBC website),
Closing that shop was not the end of Ms Britton's story because she is still in business. She recently incorporated a company called Pollyanna Barnsley Limited to make and sell clothing and accessories. That company is one of the tenants of the Business Village. Yesterday's Creative Collective meeting was attended largely by Ms Britton's fellow business owners and tenants. Most of the audience were women but I counted several men including Mr Kevin Steel, the Business Development Manager of the Business Village.
Ms Britton spoke animatedly and energetically without notes about her life and work She mentioned her parents, upbringing and education. She left school at 15 and found a job in a paper mill. She passed her driving test soon after her 17th birthday which was apparently unusual for girls of her age in her neighbourhood Her employer made use of that skill by asking her to transport workers to its premises in the South of England whenever some extra help was needed. She rose quickly through the company which provided an opportunity for her to learn a lot of useful management skills.
She opened her business with help from her father, One of her first suppliers was Mary Quant and she also mentioned Barbara Hulanicki. She spoke nostalgically about the 1960s and all the changes that it brought socially and culturally. Before the 1960s girls would dress like their mothers. The miniskirt allowed them to look and behave very differently. I remember that period well though I am a few years younger than Ms Britton and grew up in suburban Surrey. The social and cultural changes that she mentioned coincided with the change of government which led to the abolition of capital punishment and decriminalization of homosexuality. There was also England's victory in the World Cup, protests against the Vietnam War, the first stirrings of women's liberation, the availability of oral contraceptives, student riots in Nanterre and the idea of flower power which contributed to the mood of the times.
Ms Britton mentioned some of the great personalities of the fashion world with whom she had negotiated. She compared a visit to Jean Muir to an audience with the late Queen. Some of her suppliers were very snooty on learning that she came from Barnsley. Others showed great courtesy. She found the Japanese to be particularly accommodating. She recalled an incident where a Japanese supplier dismissed a Scottish employee who had been particularly offensive to Ms Britton during difficult times. Ms Britton described herself as placid by nature but she quickly learned how to deal with aggressive behaviour in others.
The last part of her talk covered plans for her business. She had recently designed a new bag with the words
LONDON
PARIS
NEW YORK
BARNSLEY
but was thinking of omitting the word London. One member of the audience suggested striking out all the names except Barnsley. She had met some pushback from customers in London, two of whom are members of my profession. She also spoke of the opportunities that she wanted to create for young designers. She passed around a catalogue of jewellery made from jet which she had introduced to Dover Street Market. What was needed, in her view, was a centre of excellence for local designers. After her talk, I mentioned that we had such a centre in Huddersfield.
Today is one of the days on which I visit the Business Village for my drop-in IP clinic. I have not had any appointments for today so far. However. I have been the first port of call for many young designers from all parts of the country who have sought advice on trade marks for their branding, registration for their product designs and copyright and design right protection for their merchandise and promotional materials.
Anyone wishing to discuss this topic further can call me on 020 7404 5252 during office hours or send me a message through my contact form at other times.
