RETAILER SPOTLIGHT
June/July 2025
housewareslive.net
Trevor Mottram
Will McGill took the trip down south to the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells to meet Sarah Wood, Managing Director of the iconic Trevor Mottram cookshop. As the insights into the ever-evolving housewares sector, and what it takes to keep an independent retail gem thriving.
R
oyal Tunbridge Wells is a town full of elegant charm and curious quirks—from the historic Chalybeate Spring where visitors once “took the waters,” to the legendary Tunbridge Wells Gnome, and the famously fussy “Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells.” Nestled in the heart of its Georgian jewel, the Pantiles, sits Trevor Mottram, a cookshop that’s become a beloved local institution—and this year, it’s proudly celebrating 50 years of delighting customers.
Since opening its doors in 1975, the world has changed dramatically— Britain joined (and left) the EU, the internet was invented, mobile phones shrank from bricks to pockets, and royal weddings, recessions, and revolutions have come and gone. Through it all, Trevor Mottram has stood Bursting with colour, the shop remains the go-to for cookware, bakeware, gadgets, and gifts that excite home cooks and seasoned chefs alike. From enamel pie dishes to French pepper mills, and everything in between, it’s a treasure trove of culinary joy, and proof that good service, great products, and a sprinkle of charm never go out of style.
Q&A
Question (Q): How did the business start? Sarah Wood (SW): Trevor was an interior designer, and he was married to my Aunty Mindy. They had been working out in Uganda for quite a long time but returned to the UK when Idi Amin came to power. They took over a hardware store—Ellis Brothers in Rye—selling paint, screws, and things like that. They then turned it into a cookshop. Mindy and Trevor later separated,
12 |
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
