Behind The Scenes of Bourdon Street Chippy
Ever wondered what it takes to build a full-sized fish and chip shop entirely out of felt? For Lucy’s Bourdon Street Chippy, the journey from concept to opening night was nothing short of monumental. With over 65,000 handmade felt items, custom-built interiors, 150 felt flat works, and an 8 month deadline, the chippy was a true labour of love, hard work, and determination.
Making The Felt
Every item in Bourdon Street Chippy began its life as a flat sheet of felt, carefully cut by Boris – our fabric cutting machine, and hand-sewn by our small team. Countless hours went into stuffing and sewing everything from cod fillets and chips, to ketchup sachets and scraps. Each piece is hand-sewn with care, bringing character and charm to every menu item. It’s slow but meticulous work – an essential to the tactile magic that defines Lucy’s installations.
With over 65,000 individual pieces created for the show, production was an enormous undertaking especially in the 8 month time frame. From takeaway boxes to vinegar bottles, jars of pickled onions, and thousands of chippies – every single thing you see at Bourdon Street Chippy was handmade. There’s no factory line at Sew Your Soul; just a team of very skilled gals (and Boris).
Once hand-sewn, each felt piece needed to be hand painted to bring it fully to life. Details like smiles, text, and logos on packaging were painted in Lucy’s signature style. Making them instantly recognisable.
In addition to all the felted items, a series of flatworks and posters (150+ to be precise) were created for the walls of Bourdon Street Chippy. All handmade out of felt, they often reference traditional chip shop signage, retro ads, and British pop culture. They help create the nostalgic atmosphere of a traditional British fish and chip shop. From the chip shop menu board to framed wall pieces, these artworks expand the world of Lucy’s chippy beyond the counter.
Installing Bourdon Street Chippy
Once everything was made, it was time to bring the chippy to life at the Lyndsey Ingram Gallery. We had just ten days to complete the install – a tight turnaround considering the volume of work. Every counter, shelf, table, and seat was built from scratch before the install, by carpenters James and Malcolm! You guys are amazing, thank you! Then covered in felt by Geraldine. It was all hands on deck to make it happen on schedule. Even with a few mishaps *cough, cough Gloria breaking down on the M11 TWICE* we managed to get it all installed before opening.
The first step was laying down the flooring, which immediately transformed the empty gallery space into a convincing chippy environment! We installed red and white patterned lino to mimic a classic takeaway floor.
Next came the install of the furniture. Arranging every counter, bench, fryer, and shelf with care, recreating the organised chaos of a real British fish and chip shop. The fridge was filled to the brim with felt drink cans, and felt fryers loaded with chippies. Everything was styled to look authentic and nostalgic, inviting visitors to lose themselves in Lucy’s soft world.
The last few days of install were all about finessing. Putting up the chippy’s famous patron portraits, adding traditional wall posters, positioning takeaway menus, and creating the wall of sauce. As well as adding neon lighting to really make it feel like a proper chippy. By the end of the ten days, the Lyndsey Ingram Gallery had been transformed into a felt filled, warm, and whimsical love letter to the classic British chippy.
After nearly 8 months of making and a crazy ten-day install, Bourdon Street Chippy opened its doors and welcomed visitors in! Whether they were fans of Lucy and her felt worlds, lovers of chips, or just curious to see an everyday British icon reimagined in felt, it was truly one not to miss. The exhibition ran at the Lyndsey Ingram Gallery in London’s Mayfair, from 1st August to 14th September, Wednesday to Sunday, 11am–6pm. Guests came hungry for art—and many left craving a chip butty.
Posted on
Share
