Changes in the Natroma Shop

On 6th March we took the difficult decision to temporarily close our holistic therapy treatment room until further notice.  The following week we closed our shop, and have consistently followed the instructions of the UK Government.

Since then, we have introduced a local delivery service and have continued to process website orders whilst maintaining social distancing.  We would like to thank everyone who has supported Natroma during the UK lock down.  It has been a very difficult time for us, and sometimes we did wonder if the business would survive.  On bad days it meant the world to us, to receive kind messages of support and we have been genuinely touched that many customers went out of their way to recommend us to their family and friends.  All of the orders we received during the weeks of lock down helped us stay afloat, and we are very grateful to the customers who kept making purchases from us.  We will never forget your kindness. 

As the UK lock down eases, we’ve had to carefully consider how we should operate our shop, because it’s small and we need to keep ourselves and our customers safe.  As required by the UK Government we’ve conducted a Covid Secure risk assessment of our premises and operations, and have thought long and hard about whether we should re-open to the public at all.   It would be easy to become an internet only business, but Paul and I have always enjoyed chatting to customers and welcoming you into our fragrant little shop.  So today we want to reassure everyone that we'll continue to operate the website as we have during lock down, so local customers who like ordering on-line with local deliveries can continue to do so.  We’ll continue to take the coronavirus pandemic very seriously, but will take our first cautious steps towards re-opening our shop again in ways that keep us and our customers safe:

Natroma Shop opening hours from Tuesday 16th June 2020:

Sunday and Monday      Closed

Tuesday and Wednesday      1.30pm - 4pm

Thursday and Friday      10.30am - 4pm

Saturday      10.30am - 3pm

Natroma Click & Collect

• Local customers who'd like to collect orders, can now use our new Click & Collect delivery option at the checkout.
• You pay for Click and Collect orders via the website where we use Worldpay (it’s the same as our shop credit card machine) or Paypal.
• We will prepare your order and send you a 2^nd e-mail once your items are ready for collection.  Please be aware that if any items need to be freshly manufactured there may be a short delay in us sending the 2^nd e-mail, so it may not be the same day as you order.  We cannot list every item on the website that’s in our shop, so additional items may be purchased when you visit.
• You will receive Natroma points on your website orders and these can be redeemed against future website orders.

Local deliveries

• We will continue to offer local deliveries to customers with natroma website accounts (on orders over £7.50) to the following areas:
• For anyone who lives close to the Ruskin Glass Centre, (within a few minutes drive, e.g. Wollaston, Amblecote, Wordsley, parts of the old quarter) we’ll be offering free local deliveries.
• For a second group that live a little further away (e.g. Pedmore, Oldswinford, Wollescote, Brierley Hill, Withymoor, Norton, Lye, Cradley, Quarry Bank) local deliveries will be £1, and free over £35.
• For a third group that live further away (e.g. Stourton, Kinver, Hagley, parts of Halesowen and Quinton, Cradley Heath, Netherton, Kingswinford, Wall Heath, parts of Dudley, Belbroughton, Fairfield, Romsley, Hunnington) local deliveries will be £2, and free over £35.
• For customers who continue to need to self-isolate, we’re offering free local deliveries if we can easily travel to your address. Please send us an e-mail, if you’d like to be included.

Shop Visits - Updated 18/8/20

For now we have ended the need to book a shopping appointment before visiting our shop.  As with all shops you will need to wear a face mask, but you can now enter the shop on a first come first served basis.  So if you call in and there's nobody inside the shop, you'll have the option to either order via the collection point or to enter the main shop to look around.  We'll still ask customers to wash their hands and try to handle items as little as possible, but at least you won't need to pre-book a shop visit.  

• We have taken the decision that it is safest if customers enter our shop via our outside door (accessed up the slope to the right of the entrance steps at Ruskin Glass Centre).
• Please note that the Ruskin Glass Centre toilets and cafe are still closed.  The Glasshouse College have asked that you report to reception when you arrive on site.
• In our shop we have created an order collection point just inside the door, and we'll also be happy to meet customers in the car park if they'd rather not enter the building.
• Our shop order point has a perspex safety screen.
• We are maintaining recommended safety distances, and everyone who visits the main shop will need to wear a face covering and will be asked to wash their hands with soap and water before handling any items in the shop.  We will now allow 2 customers in at a time (from different households) providing both are comfortable with being in the shop at the same time.  We'd ask they keep at least 1 metre (but ideally 2 metres) apart at all times.
• We are regularly cleaning the surfaces in the shop, and will be cleaning or isolating any products  that are handled but not purchased (e.g. if you inspect fused glass items, jewellery or crystals).
• Product testers have been removed but will be available on request.
• We would prefer that you do not bring children with you unless it is unavoidable, since we're trying to limit the number of times that items are touched in the shop.
• We would prefer contactless credit/debit card payments where possible, but will accept cash.
• For customers who have health issues or are concerned about meeting other people near our shop, we will be happy to arrange a private shopping appointment that's outside of our opening hours.

• We would prefer to receive orders via our website, but we're still happy to accept orders by phone or e-mail. 
• For telephone orders, we accept credit or debit card payments over the phone.  As we take the order details, we can advise you on likely timescales and can organise local shop collections, local deliveries or postal dispatch. 
• If you have looked at our website gift hampers and would prefer something bespoke, it is often easiest to give us a call so we can discuss your requirements and confirm what's possible.

Aromatherapy Client Bespoke Products

• During the lock down, we have continued to prepare special orders for several of our holistic therapy clients.  If you usually have a special blend of our Aromaflex cream, rollerballs, personal massage oils or creams, these are still available.  Please give us call and we can arrange for bespoke aromatherapy products to be blended for you, so they are ready for collection.  
• If other customers are interested in ordering bespoke aromatherapy items, this is possible once you have completed our Aromatherapy Client Health Questionnaire and we have discussed your requirements (usually by phone).  This is so I can review any pre-existing health issues and/or medication (which may contraindicate the use of certain essential oils), and then create a bespoke essential oil blend for your personal use.  Clinical Aromatherapy Consultations are £20.

We hope this information is helpful for locals and other customers who may be thinking about visiting us from a little further away.  As ever, we can be contacted by e-mail or telephone, so please contact us if you have any queries about our shop re-opening arrangements.  We look forward to seeing customers old and new, from next week onwards!

take care

Sarah