manufacturing site, we had a set specification that required the right space and location. Strawberry Fields gave us the chance to achieve this, with the capacity to support our planned growth.
“Being based here puts us in a great position to serve our customers across the UK. With hundreds of pallets leaving the site each day through our logistics network and our own transport service, we can provide the fast, flexible service our customers rely on.
“Attracting and recruiting the right talent has been key to our success. As we have grown to a team of almost 70, we have appointed local talent across the business, creating a highly skilled workforce and a fantastic company culture.
“We’ve invested heavily in our operations and production to support our growth. So far in 2026, revenues are up 37 per cent and dispatched pallet volumes have increased by 34 per cent.”
In April 2025, Lancashire Business View reported that manufacturing brand personal care partner Group55 was moving from sites in Buckshaw Village and Leyland to one in Chorley.
The strategic decision to move to the 135,000 sq ft facility saw the business bringing product formulation, manufacturing, fulfilment and logistics under one roof.
Rob Banks, managing director at Group55, says: “It’s been transformational.
“We now employ 140 people, from production operatives to qualified development chemists and a wide range of skilled professionals in between.
“From this single site we ship more than 250,000 deliveries a year to more than 100 countries, for our own brands and on behalf of our customers.
“We’re proud to be the first B Corp certified business in Chorley, and we think this is exactly the kind of advanced, responsible manufacturing that Lancashire should be known for.”
TALK OF THE TOWN
Chorley’s mix of independent businesses, national retailers and leisure operators continues to strengthen the town centre, with restaurant chain Nando’s becoming the latest high-profile name to open its doors.
The restaurant is due to open on Market Walk in July, joining brands including M&S, Sports Direct and Booths alongside the town’s established independent businesses and market.
Business owners say the combination is helping attract more visitors and creating renewed confidence in the town centre.
Laura Leyland, founder of Fresh Perspective, says: “We love being in the town centre. There are so many coffee shops, cafés, restaurants and shops that it’s great at lunchtime.
“There’s been so much redevelopment over the past few years and Chorley has really raised the bar.
“There are hardly any empty units in the town centre and there’s a buzz that disappeared for a while.”
Chris Brown, owner of Brown’s the Butchers, which has served shoppers since 1932, said preserving Chorley’s variety of offer was important to the town’s future.
He says: “Chorley is an ever expanding place to shop and we have always had a very good market and small independent shops.
Brysdales
“We don’t want every high street to be the same and to have the variety of shops that Chorley brings will keep shoppers happy for many years to come.”
Nick Hart, of Anise Gift Shop, believes the combination of independent retailers, national brands and the market helps Chorley stand out from competing town centres.
He says: “It’s great for a small town like ours to attract the big names as well as the ones already here.
“This blend of dedicated small businesses and national chains, along with our market, is what draws customers to Chorley from across Lancashire and further afield. It shows what can be achieved.”
Chorley’s market is fully occupied, while the town centre has an overall vacancy rate of just 8.7 per cent.
A £40m investment programme over the next two years will further reshape the town centre through improvements to public spaces, the creation of a new civic square in front of Chorley Town Hall and the development of energy-efficient homes designed to bring more people into the town centre and support local businesses.
Alistair Bradley, leader of Chorley Council, says: “The interest from operators like Nando’s reflects growing confidence in Chorley as a retail and leisure destination.
“It’s that balance of big names, independent businesses and a vibrant market offer, supported by continued investment, that makes Chorley such an attractive place.
“With the ongoing investment and our wider regeneration plans, we’re creating a vibrant, welcoming place where people can shop, eat, socialise and spend quality time.”
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