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Bray and Son Removals celebrate their 70th year
When Frank Bray came home to Maidstone in 1946 after five years in a German prisoner-of-war camp, he quickly bought himself an old van, and started a removals and porterage business transporting anything from meals to schools, cows for farmers…and, of course, household removals.
Frank carried out the company’s first removal 70 years ago for the princely sum of £2.10s and, in the seven decades since then, Bray & Son Removals has grown into one of the most highly-regarded and best removals companies in Kent.
Family business Frank, with his son Graham, expanded the business to provide domestic, commercial and international moving services and with a third and fourth generation of the family now involved in the business. Bray & Son is continuing to invest in their vehicles, services and training to ensure that their reputation for quality, service and reliability will see the company around for many more generations.
Vehicles with star quality In total, Bray and Son’s fleet now consists of 10 lorries plus van and trailers. Their oldest vehicle from 1971, and affectionately named Eric, appears regularly on period television shows and films such as Made in Dagenham and Brighton Rock and has won several awards at vintage motor shows. More recently, the business has invested in DAF EEV (enhanced environmentally- friendly vehicles), which reduce emissions which allows them into the low emission zones.
Packing service Whether commercial, domestic or specialist Bray and Sons offer the perfect
Why choose a BAR member?
Choosing a British Association of Removers (BAR) member will ensure your move goes smoothly with added peace of mind that comes from using a reputable, professional and safe remover, and in the unlikely event that something goes wrong, you’ve got someone to turn to.
All BAR members abide by an industry-approved code which dictates:
• the standards of service you will receive • the quality of the materials used • the standards of vehicles and warehouses
• staff training requirements
• what will happen if something goes wrong and most importantly the Code requires BAR moving companies to deal with you in a courteous and sympathetic way at all times.
As well as son Simon, Graham’s wife Angela, daughter Donna and her husband, Simon Brown, help run the business, with a young grandson also becoming involved. Still a very hands-on owner, Graham is proud of the achievements of the family business over the last 70 years and is confident about the future.
“We have had the busiest year so far,” says Graham. “It is not always easy
competing against man-and-van services, but people in the Kent area know our name and trust us completely with their business. Bray & Son is the first business they call when they need a removals service in the area. I am sure Frank would be very proud.”
solution and carry a full range of packing materials to suit the customers’ requirements and offer a packing service to save time. They will carefully assess each removal or storage task and provide guidance to suitable box types and even grades of infill to suit your items and prevent any damages.
“Being environmentally-friendly is
almost an obligation these days,” says Simon Bray. “We are always trying to raise our game and we have stopped the use of bubble wrap because it is not recyclable. We use corrugated cardboard instead, which can provide even better protection.”
Professional standards The company is an approved member of the British Association of Removers (BAR) and are also approved with Checkatrade.
Graham Bray explains: “We have been
a BAR Member for over 22 years, we know a lot of people in the industry, and they know that high standards are very important to us. We only use our own full-time employees on jobs and our vehicles are all Euro 5. We strongly believe in keeping our facilities immaculate and fit for the 21st century.”
Impartial reviews on the Checkatrade
service, run by Kent and Essex Trading Standards, speak highly of the professionalism of the company and its crews.
Mid Kent Living 45
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