Speed Christmas cake decorating will be just one of the tempting offers at a festive shopping event in Gargrave on Thursday.

The grand launch of Gertrude’s Potting Shed at The Dalesman café will see all sorts of Christmas gifts and goodies on offer for the discerning shopper.

Café owner Linda Hartell, who has named the new shop after a green-fingered great aunt, said she would be selling homemade jellies, chutneys and puddings, as well as all sorts of crafts, such as handbags, pashminas and gardenalia.

There will also be a demonstration on how to decorate a Christmas cake in under an hour.

She said the whole idea of the potting shed shop started 18 months ago with a pile of 60 Edwardian clay bulb pots.

The pots sold quickly and now the café has a whole room dedicated to the new venture, packed full of vintage gardenalia, such as a 1950s lawnmower.

“I named it after great aunt Gertrude who was reputed to be a very busy and keen gardener and of course we’re lucky enough to have a Gertrude Jekyll garden just a couple of miles up the road at Gledstone Hall,” Linda said.

Thursday’s event at the cafe takes place from 6pm to 9pm.