Find It, Fix It, Flog It star Gemma Longworth tells us why she is upcycling Liverpool’s Sir Thomas Hotel

Gemma Longworth, a Liverpudlian designer from the Channel 4 restoration TV series Find It, Fix It, Flog It, is helping revamp the Sir Thomas Hotel in the city centre.

The listed building was closed over lockdown but has reopened its doors and is redecorating sustainably.

Gemma told LiverpoolWorld: “The rooms are a little bit tired and dated and in need of a fresh new look. All of the furniture they've got is really good quality, so they don't want to throw it away, so they called me in to upcycle the furniture and give it a new lease of life.”

The TV star says sustainability is one of the biggest benefit of upcycling.

Shes says: “It’s preventing the furniture from going to landfill; it’s costing us money to replace the furniture and to recycle the old furniture, so if you can re-use whatever you can, it’s going to benefit the planet massively.

“It’s definitely gone up in popularity since the pandemic people have been in their own homes; they’ve been trying things for themselves.

“They’ve been looking around their houses thinking that they need updating, and they’re having a go themselves, and it’s absolutely fantastic.”

Gemma’s advice to upcyclers

Always do your prep work, is rule number one.

“People don't want to do it,” Gemma says. “They don't want to do the cleaning, they don't want to do the repairs, they don't want to do the sanding, but it's well worth it.

Gemma Longworth works on the TV programme Find It, Fix It, Flog It, which sees restorer Henry Cole and fellow Scouser Simon O'Brien rummaging about in Britain's sheds, lock-ups and barns for people's unwanted clutter that they can turn into cash for them.

When Gemma isn't filming, she's upcycling furniture and selling it at MerseyMade. She says she's really proud that the hotel has the belief and confidence in her skills and hopes that it will encourage other local businesses to be more sustainable.