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South Croydon couple who decorate homes of X Factor's Cheryl, Graham Norton and George Michael for Christmas open pop-up shop in Whitgift Centre

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CHERYL Fernandez-Versini, George Michael and Graham Norton will all be sitting down to Christmas dinner this year in festive homes decorated by a South Croydon couple.

Eve Da Silva and Peter Sweeney have been making the homes of the rich and famous festive for the last past 20 years.

The married couple have opened a pop-up shop in the Whitgift Centre for December and January, where they are selling their high-end yuletide products.

Landscape gardeners for the rest of the year, they spend December and January providing Christmas trees and elaborate decorations for showbiz stars and other affluent types such as lawyers and bankers.

Eve, who used to be a speech and language therapist, said: "We were landscaping gardens for a few wealthy people and they would ask us if we could get them big trees at Christmas.

"They would then ask me if I could make them some decorations. I didn't really have any experience of it at the time but I've got better over the years and we have acquired some really nice clients."

Other celebrities that have used the service include Eurythmics singer Annie Lennox and Brideshead Revisited actor Anthony Andrews.

Although Christmas is their business, Eve said the couple have stopped buying trees and plan to go on holiday this year.

She said: ""You do get a bit sick of it by the end of the month. But Christmas is important to people and it is big business because people can make it what they want and have a really special celebration."

The shop is stocked full of glittery, upmarket products and Eve said there had been steady trade since it opened.

"We could have gone up to Kensington or somewhere but we have a lot of work down in this area and we didn't want to spread ourselves too thinly," she added.

"I think there is a lot of demand for this around here.

"My friend said why didn't we pick Bromley, but you've got to think, why did Westfield pick Croydon?

"They've got a lot of people studying this and they must think there is the spend here."

South Croydon couple who decorate homes of X Factor's Cheryl, Graham Norton and George Michael for Christmas open pop-up shop in Whitgift Centre


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