Hoptroff and Lee in Cheyne Lane, Stamford to feature on BBC One’s Antiques Road Trip

A lover of all things vintage who started her business on Etsy will be appearing on TV.

It was a tight squeeze at Hoptroff and Lee in Cheyne Lane, Stamford when a crew descended on the tiny shop to film Antiques Road Trip.

Corinna Hoptroff, who runs the antiques shop, said: “I have always thought it would be nice to say ‘as seen on TV’.

“I watched lots of antiques programmes so it was great to be part of that.”

The 63-year-old was approached ‘out of the blue’ by producers who had seen her website and were searching for antiques businesses in the Stamford area to take part.

Corinna warned that she only had a small shop but welcomed a crew along in February, including antiques expert Irita Marriott.

Corinna sang the praises of the crew members who were chatty and bought them coffee and cake.

Although trying to keep filming under wraps the sight of cameras drew attention and a number of shots had to be redone due to people peering through the window.

Despite a background as a university lecturer, being in front of the camera was a change for Corinna.

“We had to redo something five times as I couldn’t get my words out,” she said.

In the episode - which is being aired next Thursday (November 16) at 3.45pm on BBC One - a piece of jewellery is bought from Hoptroff and Lee.

Although Corinna had filled the shop with plenty of new stock ahead of the film crew arriving, they selected the jewellery piece which had belonged to a local man’s wife. He has been told his item was bought and is excited to watch the show.

Corinna loves vintage and unusual items and nicknames the shop Aladdin’s cave as it is filled to the brim with quirky things.

Corinna said: “My love for vintage things started out on Etsy.

“I wanted to expand but I didn’t think I could afford to have a shop.

“Here, what you see is what you get.”

Corinna describes having a happy childhood where she watched her dad Stan Kitson collect things, and learnt how to be business savvy from her grandad Frank Newbon, a successful shoe and boot-maker.

With ‘many happy memories’, she wanted to follow in their footsteps and opened the shop in Cheyne Lane in 2017.