A FINE florist has toasted her 40th year of business.

Erica Muirhead opened her shop Erica’s on January 15, 1979, becoming a key part of Haddington’s High Street.

The business celebrated the 40th anniversary with Prosecco and cake and the owner said: “It does not seem like 40 years – it feels about 50! When you look at it in black and white, it seems absurd.”

The business was originally based at 60 High Street before moving to its current home of 28 High Street in the early 1980s.

But Erica, who lives in the town, said her passion for flowers went back to before starting the business.

She said: “My mum loved flower arranging and I used to go to the Haddington Floral Art Club.

“I would chum her along and I just really enjoyed it and I was fascinated with all the flowers and plants.

“When I got a job with Irene Spray, I found something that was just so interesting and every day was different in the shop.”

Looking back over the 40 years, Erica said much had changed, with a greater variety of flowers now on offer.

She added: “I do still enjoy coming in each day.

“I am very, very fortunate that I have got something that I love getting up for and out to in the morning. I love the customer contact and just the connection that you form on such a personal level.

“Flowers are sent for so many different occasions and it is just a lovely thing to be able to touch people’s lives in that way.”