Sign Maker Profile


The jobbing sign makers with a creative flare


Sign Update assistant editor, Cameron Beech, sat down with Paul and Julia Hughes of Western Signs to find out more about the couple’s venture into sign making and their expansion into the creative sphere.


W


ith the establishment of Telford-based Western Signs over 20 years


ago, co-owners, sign makers and married couple Paul and Julia Hughes have amassed substantial knowledge of the industry. Commencing his journey into sign


making in 1988 with a third-generation sign writer and a creative passion, Paul started out working alongside a local signwriter at Andrew Field Signs in Oakengates, eventually moving on to work in a shop heavily invested in vinyl cutters during a period which witnessed the vinyl cutter takeover. After seven years, Paul took the plunge, endeavouring to venture out on his own. In conversation, Paul said: “We classed


ourselves, until very recently, as jobbing sign makers. We would do pretty much anything and everything. It could be tiny little labels, stickers on the go right the way through to signs for the sides of factories, coaches, HGVs and everything in between.”


position offered him work straight from the street. This was until 2013 when the hardware store shut, and when the couple decided to share a 5,000sq ft industrial unit with one of their good customers. This move subsequently enabled Paul and Julia to fit vehicles into their shop for the first time in the company’s history. Julia said: “We were able to construct the workshop the way we wanted it to be, to then help the flow of work, to help deliveries come in and out easily. It meant we could do the larger jobs.” Julia joined the business in 2013, after


12 years of being in a relationship with Paul. Prior to this transition, Julia worked in High Court Enforcement. Julia said: “It’s quite funny, a lot of our customers know what I used to do. We make light heartedness of it.” Before making the full transition over to working for Western Signs full time, Julia would help out where she could while also working her full-time job.


Inspiring towards sign making Paul’s developing interest in sign making coincided with his love for steam trains as a teenager. Paul said: “We have a heritage railway in Telford. I did volunteer there. One of the guys there said they needed some signs and I painted them.” Paul had always favoured the humanities and creative subjects in school, including art. He soon discovered a like for working with signs. Paul had decided he was not attracted


Paul and Julia Hughes at Western Signs' base in Telford


The solo venture began at the rear


of a hardware store, with Paul being given an opportunity to meet an array of different people from various sectors, who would come to him in need of signs for their company vans or the premises they worked at. Paul was situated at the epicentre of trade. The high street


| 54 | July/August 2024


to pursuing further education, wanting out of the educational system, opting instead to complete a Youth Training Scheme. It was from this scheme in which he was introduced to Andrew Fields. Paul had always had a liking for steam


trains. In fact, Paul’s favourite old train company was the Great Western Railway, and it was from this train company that the name Western Signs was born. This has been the company’s name since its


Rapunzel’s tower, showcased at the Family Attraction Expo


The magnificent set piece towered


high above the surrounding stands, specifically catching the eye of Merlin Entertainments on behalf of Warwick Castle. Julia described the moment Merlin eagerly approached their stand, describing them as simply putting their phone down in front of the couple and


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founding in 1997. When talking about the creation of the name, Paul said: “I went with what had a meaning to me.”


A creative drive It was at this point in the Western Sign’s history that a growing interest for the creative was beginning to rise to the surface. The pair began venturing into building


set pieces for events. Paul and Julia made mention of attending Family Attraction Expo at the NEC, Birmingham in November 2023. It was at this event in which they noticed there was a gap nobody was filling in the show, a gap they decided to fill with a 4m high Rapunzel tower, showcasing what was possible with the materials they were able to use.


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