THE curtain has gone up on a high class family business at the heart of Little Lever.

Sisters Elaine and Audrey Johnson launched The Curtain and Dressmakers in Lever Street after working round the clock to get the shop ready for its grand opening day.

Starting the business has been a dream come true for the duo who have their 70-year-old mother Margaret to thank for passing on her expertise in making bespoke curtains, blinds and christening gowns out of the best silk and laces.

And they have also enlisted the help of Big Fat Gipsy Wedding dressmaker Thelma Madine who is running courses on how to make dresses up to a very high standard.

“We are going on one of her full courses to learn as much as we can,” said 47-year-old Elaine. “But it’s our mum we owe everything to. She has been an upholsterer, seam maker, and dressmaker. In fact there is nothing she can’t do.

“She taught all her children how to do it. But in the past we’ve always done make-up services for other high-end shops. We’ve never had a shop of our own until now.”

Elaine and Audrey spotted the shop while driving through Little Lever having visited Elaine’s son Marvin and his girlfriend Kelly Slater who live in the village.

“It’s a former hairdressers and has two enormous windows either side of the door” said Elaine. “We thought we could make full use of the windows to display what we do.”

But the windows are not the only showcase for the Johnson talent.

The curtains and gowns will be made up in the shop in full view of visiting customers who will be able to see how authentic the service is.

“Everything is going to be made up here,” said Elaine. “We’re really excited about what we’re doing and proud of what we’ve done in the shop.

“Our family has done all the work in the shop to a very high specification.”

Elaine will be relying on her 46-year-old sister and Ms Slater to help run the business.

“We are working as family and as a team which is fantastic,” said Elaine.