Name: Tracy Whyte

Business name: Tracy Whyte Stained Glass

Opening hours: By appointment

When did you open your business and why?

I HAVE been doing stained glass for about 26 years – I had a studio in Leicestershire and then we moved to this area eight years ago, so my studio came with me. It was basically a hobby which turned into something I could make a bit of money out of and that I enjoy doing.

Why in this location?

Just to relocate to a nice area – my kids had left home and we loved this area. We used to drive from Leicestershire through to Snowdonia a lot of the time and we thought this was a nice area to be based.

We don’t regret it at all – it’s like a hidden gem here. It’s so beautiful and you can go anywhere you want and it’s just so peaceful.

Leicestershire was nice, but here there’s more to do if you’re into mountaineering and mountain-biking.

As for the business, it’s picked up really well since we moved here and I’ve got a really good client-base of regular people and businesses I deal with, so that’s really good.

Tell us about your business

The bulk of our work is by referrals, which is a good thing really.

I’m a specialist in the design, restoration and repair of traditional stained glass windows. So from church windows through to small domestic doors and windows, and from repairs and restoration jobs or new designs, I cover all areas. I do specialise more in the restoration and repair side, because I get big satisfaction out of that – it’s really fulfilling.

To me, stained glass is like the face of a house, it’s the first thing people see when they come to visit, so it’s very important.

I’ve also done work with architects and have done work at Eton College and Leeds Opera House, so we’ve had some really big contracts. Even though I work on my own, I have a local fitter in Selattyn who does that side of things, so I can do the whole package really.

We cover about a 50-mile radius because we’ve worked in Llangollen, Colwyn Bay, Welshpool, Newtown and Telford.

What is your proudest moment?

The project at Leeds Opera House was fantastic, that was like a six-month job, and it had a full restoration. That was my first big contract so it was a proud moment.

It’s not just about that though, it’s nice to have feedback from people when you design windows for people – it’s quite rewarding when you receive nice comments from people, it’s very rewarding.

Any strange requests?

I DO get some odd requests for what they would like on their windows. One lady rang and asked for a cup of coffee to be put in her window which I’ve never been asked for before.

I’ve had other things like people asking for pictures of their dogs in the window too which is something quite different I suppose.