FORMER Honda associate Nathan Pegler has taken another step forward with the pastel art business he set up after redundancy last year.

The 42-year-old, who lives in Marlborough Road, near Royal Wootton Bassett, has secured a public display at the town gift shop Dandelion. After taking voluntary redundancy in the last wave of cuts at Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) and using the money to set UP NJP Pastel Art, Nathan has been trying to draw some success.

He had targeted Dandelion owner Hazel Newson for some time, but for various reasons failed to secure a one-to-one with her, until last month.

His pastel creations will be on show from March 25 and he hopes to do some live work in-store too for customers.

“It’s very arty. It does fit in with the crystals and the gem stones, and that sort of thing,” said Hazel, who has run Dandelion for almost 40 years.

“We are discussing how we can make it more commercial by selling it in the shop.”

The longer term aim for Nathan is a gallery display, with negotiations starting soon with Devizes’s Bluestone Gallery.

He is being patient for now. “My fiancée is backing me big time. She’s 100 per cent behind me,’’ he said.