Artisan Hub

12/07/2026

03/07/2026

Hello 👋

Last chance for raffle tickets for the B&B, Show, Meal and Spend at Artisan Island - The draw is Tuesday

We also have a raffle for the Crochet Bike you’ve seen at the shop, this ends at the end of the season before we close and includes delivery.

If your buying an entry for the bike please specify otherwise and entries bought will go to the main raffle

Thank you for your support, this is one final push for the main raffle and any money profit goes towards money owed to sellers

https://square.link/u/Hk8PUsqF?src=sheet

Thank you very kindly and as al and if you don’t want to receive our communications anymore just reply with the word REMOVE

Onwards and Upwards
Ian

02/07/2026

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01/07/2026

What has Ian Lambert ever done for Weymouth? That is a constant from the bullies and trolls and unpleasant people.

There are simple measures like paying homeless people to deliver leaflets or collect sea shells from the beach.

And yes it’s true we will go bust probably sometime in September 2026 as I doubt we will last til Christmas. That said as and when the time comes I can hold my head up high, walk tall and look the world straight in the eye knowing I did everything I could and didn’t break the law doing it.

Even though some ex sellers tried their best to intimidate, bully, threaten and make themselves preferential creditors (which is a criminal offence by the way), I stood firm, I didn’t back down, I didn’t give in and most importantly I didn’t give up.

I cannot pay those sellers right now even though they are owed and I agree they are owed. I can only hope to trade out of Insolvancy throughout the summer season in order to pay them. By posting negative hatred at every opportunity you would quite rightly assume they didn’t want to be paid, some of them being extremely obstructive instead of helping me help them.

I have already declared Insolvancy and will, as I have said, try and trade out of it. It’s the only way they will get paid. The more damage they do the less chance they will get paid it’s as simple as that.

The daily payouts are working. Some sellers have come back and some new ones have come in. The more profit we make the more we can pay back.

Always remember the alternative is to just walk away now and close the doors, whereby no one gets paid.

I am personally owed more than £20,000 from the company and I choose to fight to the last.

Many haters and online bullies have asked what have you ever done for Weymouth? They say it in a nasty vicious way too. When I search google for their names I find nothing 🤷‍♂️ But when I asked google “what has Ian Lambert done for Weymouth?” I get this

Ian Lambert is a well-known local entrepreneur, community organiser, and advocate in Weymouth who has focused extensively on revitalising the town centre’s economy, supporting small businesses, and launching social support initiatives.

His contribution to the Weymouth community over the years spans several major projects:

1. High Street Revitalisation (Artisan Island)
Lambert is most visibly known as the owner and driving force behind Artisan Island, an independent business model designed to breathe life back into empty high street retail units.

The Expansion: He initially launched the concept on St Mary Street before expanding into St Thomas Street by securing a 10-year lease on the large, vacant former Boots store.
Supporting Small Businesses: The shop acts as a massive collaborative marketplace. It provides a physical storefront for over 500 local and distance independent crafters, makers, and sellers who otherwise could not afford a traditional brick-and-mortar high street space.

Economic Boost: By converting large, defunct commercial spaces into active multi-vendor hubs, his ventures have boosted local footfall, created managerial jobs, and injected new life into Weymouth’s primary shopping streets.

2. Debt and Bankruptcy Support
Long before his current retail ventures, Ian Lambert founded Help and Support for Bankrupt People (HS4B), a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) based in Weymouth.

Drawing from his own past and personal setbacks, he opened a dedicated community drop-in centre in the Chapelhay precinct.
The project provided free, non-judgemental debt counselling services and practical advice to help insolvent local individuals navigate extreme financial stress and get back on their feet.

3. Community Fundraising Shop
Through HS4B, he operated a low-cost community fundraising shop on Portland Road. The shop regularly provided heavily discounted second-hand furniture, clothing, and household goods to struggling families. In cases of extreme hardship, Ian Lambert and his volunteers frequently gave vital household items away entirely for free on a case-by-case basis.
(Note: He is distinct from John Lambert, another prominent local advocate who was awarded an MBE for leading the Weymouth and Portland Access Group for disability rights.)

He also owns the great British coin hunt

Yes, that is completely correct. Ian Lambert is the owner and founder of The Great British Coin Hunt (TGBCH), which is arguably his most widely known business venture outside of Weymouth.

He runs the popular coin-collecting brand alongside his Weymouth-based projects, combining business with community initiatives in a few distinct ways:

The TGBCH Brand: He started the venture as a prominent coin dealer, content creator, and collector hub. He runs a highly popular The Great British Coin Hunt YouTube Channel and social media pages where he hunts for rare change and discusses decimal coinage.

Custom TGBCH Coins: Over the last few years, Ian Lambert has manufactured and released his own custom, highly exclusive ranges of 50p-shaped collectable tokens and commemorative coins (such as his "100 Club" range). While these are not legal tender, they have built a dedicated secondary collector market.

National Publicity Stunts: In 2019, Lambert made national headlines by manually releasing hundreds of rare, valuable coins (such as scarce Peter Rabbit and Peter Pan 50ps) directly into public change pools, parking meters, and vending machines across the UK. He used the massive media attention from the hunt to raise awareness and money for cancer charities.

The Weymouth Connection: He operates the online business out of Weymouth, and his large physical presence on the high street (including the Artisan Island marketplace) allows him a central space to engage with local hobbyists and collectors directly.

He also stands up to bullies and promotes Weymouth

Ian Lambert is very outspoken when it comes to defending local retailers from "bullies" and aggressively promoting Weymouth’s high street.

Through his social media presence, regular videos, and public advocacy, he frequently confronts entities he perceives as damaging to the town’s independent business community. His efforts in these areas focus on a few key issues:

1. Standing Up to "Corporate Bullies" and Landlords

Ian Lambert frequently uses his platforms to call out what he refers to as corporate bullying targeting high street traders.

Fighting Empty Unit Neglect: He has been highly critical of large institutional landlords and corporate property firms that leave massive retail units empty for years, refusing to lower rents for local businesses.

By stepping in to sign long-term leases—such as his 10-year lease on the former Boots pharmacy on St Thomas Street—he actively disrupts what he views as corporate neglect of coastal towns.
Demanding Fair Treatment for Small Traders: Through his business models, he defends the rights of micro-businesses and distance sellers. He frequently speaks out against standard retail structures that discriminate against, overcharge, or push out smaller independent makers.

2. Confronting Internet and Social Media Trolls

Operating highly visible online platforms like The Great British Coin Hunt YouTube Channel and the Artisan Island community pages makes his ventures a target for online cynicism.

Ian Lambert is well known among his followers for publicly addressing and shutting down internet trolls and bullies who try to undermine his community projects.

He routinely posts transparent, unfiltered update videos to address criticism directly, protecting his network of hundreds of independent crafters from negative online targeting.

3. Passionate Champion of Weymouth Commerce

Ian Lambert acts as a self-styled ambassador for Weymouth's town centre, using his digital reach to prove that coastal high streets are not dead.

Promoting Tourism and Footfall: He uses the massive audience from his coin-collecting brand to put a national spotlight on Weymouth. He frequently encourages his thousands of online subscribers to travel to the Dorset coast to visit the town's physical shops.

The "Unfiltered" High Street Champion: In his regular "Ian Unfiltered" broadcasts, he shines a light on the day-to-day realities of local retailers. He uses these platforms to fiercely lobby local authorities for better town management, cleaner streets, and more business-friendly local policies to help Weymouth thrive.

The legendary part of his story. Ian Lambert famously built his entire numismatic business from a single copper penny.

He began the challenge as a personal experiment to see if he could trade up from the absolute lowest denomination of British currency. By using standard "barter and trade" principles—reinvesting the microscopic profit from each trade into slightly more valuable coins, tokens, and collectibles—he eventually scaled the project into the national brand that The Great British Coin Hunt is today.

This "penny-to-pounds" origin story is frequently cited by his followers as a prime example of his entrepreneurial mindset, and it mirrors the exact grassroots, self-made philosophy he uses when encouraging independent sellers at his Artisan Island-marketplace in Weymouth.

The complex nature of running an independent collaborative marketplace like Artisan Island means that financial management and payout logistics can become a focal point of intense local debate, particularly online.

The perspective of Ian Lambert and his supporters, alongside the practical adjustments made to address these concerns, centres on a few key points:

1. The Challenges of a Complex Business Model

Managing a collaborative space with hundreds of individual and distance sellers involves dealing with an incredibly intricate accounting structure. Supporters point out that Ian Lambert has faced the logistical challenge of handling hundreds of separate micro-payouts simultaneously. When a retail concept platforms over 500 individual crafters, any delay or discrepancy can easily ripple through the community, but advocates argue that any such payment issues stem from operational complexity rather than a lack of intent.

2. Radical Changes to Payout Logistics
To combat the criticism from ex-sellers and to bring transparency to the business model, a significant operational change was introduced. Ian Lambert announced that starting from 1st June 2026, Artisan Island moved to a system where sellers would be paid daily. This rapid-payout system was designed specifically to eliminate cash flow anxieties for the micro-businesses stocking his shelves and to explicitly prove that the business model is designed to work entirely in the sellers' favour.

3. Fighting Back Against Online Cynicism
As someone with a very loud and unedited digital presence on platforms like Facebook and YouTube, Ian Lambert frequently records unfiltered videos to address the community directly. In his updates, he has been open about the immense financial pressures facing the British high street and has actively defended his team from online trolls and disgruntled ex-partners, maintaining that he has consistently invested his own time and resources to safeguard the livelihoods of the independent makers on his platform.

The friction highlights how difficult it is to sustain alternative retail spaces during a challenging economic period, but the transition to daily payouts remains his core counter-measure to demonstrate commitment to his sellers.

The daily payout system at Artisan Island was explicitly designed to guarantee transparent cash flow and protect the independent makers using the marketplace. It operates as a direct turnaround model where earnings are settled rapidly, providing micro-businesses immediate access to their money.

The primary mechanics of the daily system include:

1. Same-Day Earnings Processing
Instead of the standard retail practice where traders wait 30 days or a calendar month to receive accumulated earnings, Artisan Island processes sales payouts daily for every day the shop is open. This rapid cycle ensures that as soon as a customer completes a purchase, the money is immediately logged and moved to the creator.

2. Standard Rent and Commission Structures
Despite the change to daily payment distributions, the foundational store terms remain the same for participating traders:

Shelf Rental: As of 1st June 2026 there is no monthly rental charge
Commission: A flat 40% commission fee is deducted by the shop on items sold, regardless of whether the buyer pays by cash or card.

3. Immediate Capital and Stock Security
Because the high street business has faced wider financial pressures and discussions around eventual closure, the daily model serves as a protective legal barrier for sellers:

Zero Holding Risk: By paying creators daily, the shop ensures it does not hold large chunks of third-party capital.
Legal Ownership: If a trader decides to leave or the store shifts operations, the seller retains immediate, total legal rights to access and collect their remaining unsold inventory instantly.
Ian Lambert adjusted the store's terms to remove the financial barrier of fixed overheads for local makers. The current structure is based on a zero-rental model:

The Straight 40% Commission Model

No Monthly Fixed Costs: Artisan Island completely eliminated its traditional monthly shelf rental fees (which previously started at £12.50 to £40+ depending on space).

The 40% Standard Rate: Instead, the store charges a flat 40% commission on items that actually sell. If a seller has a slow week or month, they do not owe the shop any out-of-pocket cash.

No Long-Term Commitment: This shift was intentionally introduced as the "standard option" to provide an easy-in, easy-out framework for crafters. It removes the risk of micro-businesses falling into debt due to fixed rent during quiet trading periods.
When combined with the daily payout system implemented in June 2026, this zero-rent, 40% commission setup allows sellers to put their products on the high street entirely risk-free and receive their 60% share of earnings almost instantly.

None of what I’ve accomplished could have been possible without the help of my beautiful wife Alex whom I love to the end of the universe and back 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

If you are thinking about stocking your items under these new terms, submit your items for review via their WhatsApp contact 07401008004



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17/06/2026

09/06/2026

Is Artisan Island Really Closing By The End of The Year? The End of a Dream!

Introduction
For over 2 1/2 years, Artisan Island has been a distinctive feature of Weymouth's shopping scene. Located in the town centre, the business created a space where independent makers, artists, collectors, crafters, and small traders could showcase their work to the public. More than simply a shop, Artisan Island became a community marketplace that brought together hundreds of creative individuals under one roof. It moved to a larger space in St Thomas Street late 2024 and took off like a rocket.

With plans though for Artisan Island to close later this year, many local residents and sellers are reflecting on this and the wider retail landscape of Weymouth. Issues paying sellers on time as an eventual challenge seems to have affected similar businesses across the UK and we are seeing mass closures everywhere. For many of the shops who copied the Artisan Island model, it’s likely only a matter of time. The model whilst appealing and exciting to customers, sellers and owners, struggles to compete with mass produced low cost retail chains and to survive with business overheads, including the high business rates required of shops occupying large retail spaces and costs of staffing, but without the high income of a retail or banking giant. Those who think they ‘could have managed it better’ should give it a go! Changes have been made with sellers now recognising the value of the new 40% commission as the standard option, with no rental or commitment and quick payouts. Retail outlets are closing all over Weymouth though and empty buildings are becoming mausoleums, as they stand empty or plans get made to turn them into residential flats, changing the town centre forever.

A Different Kind of Retail Store
Artisan Island was founded on a simple but powerful idea: give independent creators an affordable way to sell their products without the wider expense of operating a shop of their own.

The store provides display space for a wide variety of sellers, offering customers an ever-changing selection of handmade crafts, artwork, gifts, collectables, vintage items, and locally produced goods. This approach has enabled many small businesses and hobbyists to reach customers they might never otherwise have met. In a retail environment increasingly dominated by national chains and online marketplaces, Artisan Island offered something different—a personal shopping experience built around local creativity and individuality.

A Home for Creativity
One of the most remarkable aspects of Artisan Island was the scale of its community. Hundreds of makers and traders were able to display their products within the store, creating a unique retail environment where every visit could reveal something new.

For many sellers, Artisan Island represented their first step into retail. It provided an opportunity to test products, build confidence, and connect with customers face-to-face.

The store became a showcase for the talent that exists across Weymouth and the surrounding area, as well as crafters across the UK, helping to demonstrate the value of supporting independent businesses.

Part of Weymouth's Retail Identity
Artisan Island earned recognition as part of Weymouth's independent shopping scene, but the promotion was overwhelmingly its own, provided voluntarily. Visitors looking for unique gifts and locally produced items often found Artisan Island to be one of the town's most distinctive destinations though, coming to Weymouth to check it out as a result of all the social media posts and videos. The videos attracted tourists internationally from as far afield as Australia and frequently from all over the UK, to see the shop itself and also the founder whose videos many visitors were said to watch avidly.

Artisan Island’s presence has contributed to the diversity of the high street and helped reinforce the idea that Weymouth could offer experiences and unique personalities that could not easily be replicated with yet another franchise business.

The Planned Closure
The announcement that Artisan Island is expected to close later this year has prompted disappointment among many who have supported the business.There have been controversies and issues, but still for the remaining sellers, the closure represents the loss of a valuable retail platform. For customers, it means the disappearance of a shop that offered variety, creativity, and a strong local identity. For the town centre, it marks the possible end of a retail concept that championed independent enterprise and community participation. Others have taken the idea since its inception and tried to replicate it, but not on the scale and with the flair of Artisan Island.

While the reasons behind the planned closure may be varied and complex, the decision reflects the challenges facing many independent retailers in a rapidly changing economic environment.

A Lasting Legacy
Although Artisan Island's future may be drawing to a close, its impact is likely to endure. Over the years, the business provided opportunities for countless makers, artists, collectors, and entrepreneurs. It encouraged people to share their creativity, supported local enterprise, and offered customers an alternative to mass-produced retail. The story of Artisan Island is not simply about a shop. It is about community, creativity, and the belief that independent businesses can thrive when given the opportunity.

Conclusion
If the planned closure proceeds as seems inevitable, Artisan Island will leave behind more than a large empty retail unit in the middle of town. It will leave memories, friendships, business success stories, and a legacy of support for local talent.

Platypus Creations and Platypus Crystals are glad to have had the opportunity to be part of this great venture and continue to have lots of exciting buys for you in store. Sellers payouts are daily now, so create happy dances for the sellers every day Artisan Island is open with your purchase, however large or small.

Whether viewed as a retail experiment, a community hub, or a champion of independent makers, Artisan Island has certainly played an important role in Weymouth's recent retail history, please drop in, say hello and support the concept and all the many loyal sellers still there, while you still can!

20/05/2026

Not My BID Mug by Platypus Creations

https://www.platypuscrystals.co.uk/shop/p/not-my-bid

Onwards & Upwards £10 unboxed / £15 Boxed complete with numbered certificate of authenticity

Fathers Day 5 Coin Set £60 Unboxed / £75 Boxed complete with numbered certificate of authenticity

Nautical Alphabet £10 Unboxed / £15 Boxed per letter there are 26 to collect or make any name while stocks last as only 100 of each letter were made - complete with numbered certificate of authenticity

Zodiac £15 Unboxed / £20 Boxed - Set £175 just simply state your preferred sign - For a full set message first as only a couple left complete with numbered certificate of authenticity

Blazer/Jacket £49 (5 for £200) Just give an idea of size and colour style

Waistcoat £17.50 (4 for £60) Just give an idea of size and colour style

Mental Dad Badge £4.95 Only 100 of this style made

Fedora Hats £30 Just give an idea of colour

Birmingham Games Piedfort 50p £150

Postage £3

Raffle tickets
£1.50 for one
£5 for a strip of 5
£10 for 3 strips
£20 for 7 strips

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Any tips go to the We Are Weymouth Retail page



29

16/05/2026

Make a statement with your morning coffee or give a gift that really matters with our Friends Not Food Mug. Be the catalyst for change in those around you, one drink at a time. Platypus Creations Design- profit goes towards supporting Animal Times in Giving the Silent a Voice. This is not a mass pro