Colchester’s Sir Isaac’s Walk independent gift shop turns social media unboxing into a national prize, after years of drawing shoppers from across the country.
On Sir Isaac’s Walk, Bill and Bert’s has become one of Colchester’s best-known independent shops. Opened in August 2019 by Bill Nettelfield and Sarah Charlton on the former Karen Millen site, the gift and homeware store is named after Nettelfield and his dog Bert. Ranges include candles, jewellery, decorations, water bottles, diaries, plush toys and a large Jellycat selection.
Nettelfield brought long High Street experience, including helping to bring Calendar Club temporary Christmas shops to the UK, and chose Colchester because he lived nearby and valued its independents. “Colchester became the obvious place to be as I lived a few miles away and it is one of the better towns or cities in the country,” he told the Colchester Gazette. He has also said independents must offer a point of difference, and that customer service can be it.
Trade took off quickly, then Covid forced long closures. Customers stayed loyal. In March 2022 the partners knocked through into the neighbouring unit and doubled the floor space. “In 2022 when we doubled the size of the shop we didn’t look back,” Nettelfield said at the fifth anniversary. Shoppers now travel regularly from Ipswich, Northampton, Luton and Cambridgeshire.
That draw rests partly on stock depth. He has said the shop has “one of the largest displays of Jellycats in the country.” In spring 2024 Jellycat’s giant mascot Jack began a world tour at the Colchester store, with fans travelling from Leeds, Manchester and Southampton for photos before the mascot headed overseas.
Recognition followed. At the Greats Gift Retail Awards 2024, Bill and Bert’s was named independent gift retailer of the year for London, the south, south east and East Anglia. In May 2026, at the same awards in London, it beat five other national nominees to win Best Retailer Initiative for its weekly “What’s In The Box?” social videos, in which staff open new deliveries on camera. Invest Colchester and the Gazette both covered the win. One Jellycat Peanut unboxing reached 2.7 million TikTok views; the account had about 18,500 followers when reported.
“It was a surprise to be nominated,” Nettelfield said after the 2026 win. “When we were announced, we gave a really loud scream from the table, it felt wonderful to win it.” On the videos he added: “We’re having a laugh, in today’s climate where the world is not a nice place, Bill and Bert’s is providing a laugh and good gifts.”
