NEWS
Topping leads Relyon purchase Bed manufacturer Relyon has been bought by investors headed by its former chief executive. The company went into administration alongside sister companies Harveys and Bensons for Beds, with Bensons being bought in a pre-pack administration. Ian Topping and other investors has purchased Relyon, its Wellington, Somerset factory and the intellectual property of the Relyon and Dunlopillo brands. ‘I am delighted to have been able to lead the acquisition of Relyon which is a great UK manufacturer with a 150-year history of making high quality beds in the West Country. Having formerly been chief executive of the Relyon Group from 1993 to 2010, I have real belief in the underlying strengths of Relyon and its people,’ says Topping. ‘As an independent business, I will be working closely with Alan Chapman, md, and his team as we focus on developing our excellent products and close customer relationships to grow the business significantly and with this create new jobs.’ The deal is expected to save the jobs of 280 employees: 82 were made redundant at the time of the administration.
Golf day raises £10,000 Barker and Stonehouse’s annual golf day has raised £10,000 for charities. Around 50 people from across the furnishing industry took part in the event on 12 August at the Catterick Garrison Golf Club in North Yorkshire, with the money split between The Furniture Makers’ Company and local NHS charities. ‘Barker and Stonehouse is proud to support The Furniture Maker’s Company, a charity that provides muchneeded support for those in the furnishing industry. We have been hosting the Barker and Stonehouse annual golf day in aid of this cause for many years and we were very happy to be able to continue this tradition this year but under slightly different socially distant compliant conditions,’ says James Barker, Barker and Stonehouse md.
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John Lewis renting furniture in try-before-buy John Lewis has launched a business renting furniture to shoppers. A range of 50 products is on offer with rental periods ranging from three to 24 months. ‘Attitudes towards renting items and the sharing economy have dramatically shifted in recent years, and we know that renting, reselling items and recycling them is a growing priority for our customers,’ says Johnathan Marsh, John Lewis director of home. Marsh said the service was also a sustainable choice, with items collected and repaired at the end of each rental and sent to new customers. The items will be rented via
a third-party company, Fat Llama, with the service available initially in London but set to roll out nationally if the trial proves successful. Under the scheme shoppers can use the service to ‘try before they buy’, as payments stop if they reach the original purchase price before the end of the hire period, and they can keep the item or have it collected. After two 12-month rental periods the items will have been paid for outright. The products are insured for wear and tear but not accidental damage. Just hours after the scheme was launched Fat Llama reported many products out of stock.
Jarrold boss among almost a quarter of staff made redundant Norfolk department store chain Jarrold has made 90 of its staff redundant, including its chief executive. Minnie Moll joined the three-store chain two years ago. Jarrold celebrated its 250th anniversary earlier this year. Its main store in Norwich
Interiors Monthly September 2020
along with branches in Cromer and Wymondham had employed 400 staff. ‘Minnie Moll has left the business following a restructure of our executive team brought about by the impact of the current COVID-19 crisis. ‘This is no reflection on the
outstanding contribution Minnie has made to the business and the leadership she has shown in her time at Jarrold. ‘We are very sad to see her go and she leaves with our sincere thanks and best wishes,’ says David Hill, Jarrold chairman.
On the road again Collections of waste vinyl flooring through the Recofloor take-back scheme have restarted. The full service was temporarily suspended in April due to the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, with a soft start of some collections from June to help support Recofloor members and manage the volumes of waste vinyl flooring. Collections can take between four to 10 working days after booking and are carried out by Polyflor and Altro during their deliveries as backhaul.
