Business Check | RETAIL


Taunton HB


How’s business?


This large Somerset town is perhaps most famous for its cider production. There’s a strong grey pound coming from retirees to the area and its population is increasing faster than anywhere else in the county. Unemployment is below the national average


Leeds Manchester Liverpool


Birmingham


HB Taunton


PARTNER BRANDS ›› Robert Charles Kitchens


PWS, Miele, Neff, Fisher and Paykel, Quooker, and Blanco


›› Richard Johns Signature Kitchens Ashley Ann, 1810, Quooker, AEG, Silestone, Dekton, Amtico, and Ideal Standard


›› Mayfl ower Bathrooms


Duravit, Villeroy and Boch, Catalano, Hansgrohe, Vola, Vado, and Gessi


›› Covey Kitchens


Shaws of Darwen, Siemens, Neff, Faber, Liebherr, Perrin and Rowe, and Chalon


London


Robert Charles Kitchens Robert Charles, owner


This year started off quite strongly after the election and Brexit. Last year was probably one of the most diffi cult years since 2008/9. But it’s picked up a lot. We’re getting more enquiries and more people through the door. Last year weeks went by and we didn’t see anyone, so much so that three showrooms closed in Taunton.


But we’re back now to where we should be, as people are feeling more positive. We’ve weathered the storm because we’ve cut back – we’ve halved our staff numbers and made one redundancy. The thing is that kitchens are discretionary purchases that can easily be put on the back burner. Now that uncertainty has been removed, people are confi dent again.


Our customers come to us mostly (70%) from recommendations. The dealer locators on manufacturer websites also direct business our way. We’re a stockist for Miele, Neff, Fisher & Paykel, Blanco and Quooker, and all their websites generate a lot of leads for us. We’ve been here since 1987, so people know we’re here. And we just try to offer a good package and a good service.


April 2020 ·


We’re back now to where we should be


We manufacture our own kitchens – all bespoke – though we do use PWS. I don’t think leaving the EU will affect our manufacturing business. Many big companies have got themselves extremely well organised as the UK is a big market for these brands.


As a small independent, we are in the hands of our suppliers, but I think they’ll do all they can to keep business running smoothly. It will be a bit like the millennium when everyone thought the world was going to end on December 31, 1999. We’ll look back and wonder what all the fuss was about.


 77


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