If you wanted something to look forward to in 2021, how about this? Ashby is to get its own chocolate shop.

Leicester's Indulgent Chocolates is opening a store in Market Street which could be up and running by March - assuming lockdown measures have eased.

The company says it will be specialising in Belgian chocolates.

But, as founder Keith Tiplady explains, Indulgent Chocolates was born out of a combination of redundancy and using a gift he bought his wife for her birthday.

He says: "Indulgent Chocolates are very excited to be opening a shop in Ashby this Spring.

"We specialise in Tempered Belgian Chocolates with indulgent caramel, cookie dough, peanut butter and flavoured ganache fillings.

"However, the shop will be packed full of lots of other Chocolate treats.

"I set the business up last year after being on furlough and then being made redundant.

"It has been a difficult but fun year looking after our three year old twins and building the business.

"After the success we've had online, I'm looking forward to joining the other great shops in Ashby and meeting the lovely shoppers.

Keith adds on the Indulgent Chocolate website: "2020 has been a year of hardship and suffering for so many, including myself when I was made redundant from a role in project management that I enjoyed.

"However, it has brought us together as a community and been an opportunity for me to try something different.

"I started by simply trying to find ways to further utilise the chocolate tempering machine that I had bought my wife as a birthday present.

"After making chocolates for friends and family, as well as local residents, I soon expanded to shipping my products across the UK.

"I have since upgraded the 900g tempering machine to a 7kg machine to keep up with the demand and to manage large corporate thank you gift orders.

"As well as setting up the business I have been looking after our gorgeous twins along with my wife, Jess, who works both full time for the NHS and has her own successful home baking business, Cakes & Treats by S&J, in partnership with my mum, Sandra."