A MAN who left his job as a dietician last month to set up a shop selling house plants has had to turn to home delivery after being unable to open given the current restrictions.

Dave Morley was due to open The Plant Workshop in Northallerton this week.

But after the Government announcement that all non-essential shops would have to close, he has decided to start doing home deliveries instead.

Despite not even having a website just over three weeks ago, he is currently taking orders from upwards of 20 customers a day and is delivering plants two days a week.

He said: “We had a lot of stock to rather than waiting around we’ve gone online.

“We had been trying to raise awareness using Facebook so there were people who knew we were going to be opening in Northallerton.

“When we got the announcement that we wouldn’t be able to open we were trying to think how we can turn it into an online delivery service.

“We didn’t even have a website so I sat there for four or five days for about 15 hours a day to write the website and get an e-commerce site.”

It launched on March 26, with the first order placed at about 7pm on the same day.

Mr Morley, who is running the delivery service from his home in Billingham, said: “We’ve been quite overwhelmed by how popular it has been.

“We’re already serving probably between 20 and 30 customers a day.”

He is currently delivering plants for two days a week, to homes with a TS, DL or YO7 postcode, spending about nine hours on each trip.

Mr Morley left his job as an NHS dietician for South Tees trust, where he worked at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, last month after deciding he wanted to do something different.

“I just really wanted a bit of freedom,” he added: “I wanted to get out of the NHS and have the freedom to do something I’m passionate about and I love plants.”

He plans to open the shop as soon as restrictions are lifted.

He added: “We’re just waiting. It’s irritating but that’s the situation. Because of the climate we don’t have a date.

“We want to continue the delivery because it’s been so popular. At the minute we’re looking at getting a van and more people.

“In some ways I’m quite thankful we don’t have the shop because it might be overwhelming.”

When it does open, customers can expect to meet his companion sales-pooch Winston, an English springer spaniel.

The shop will be dog-friendly.