North East furniture retailer Barker and Stonehouse is championing 海角视频 manufacturing with a campaign that aims to get more people buying British furniture.
The campaign, which has won support from manufacturing and retail groups, aims to re-energise the furniture sector after the coronavirus lockdown and has come after Barker and Stonehouse opened its stores at the start of June.
Barker and Stonehouse has brought in a series of offers on British furniture items, with managing director James Barker saying customers had responded positively to the message to buy British.
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He said: “Britain has a long and fruitful history when it comes to furniture manufacturing and we need to do everything we can to preserve these skills and jobs.
“It is true to say that some production has moved off-shore, particularly cabinet and leather products. However, there is still a significant raft of furniture that is made in the 海角视频, particularly upholstery, beds and mattresses. These producers not only manufacture for the independent high-end retailers but also for many of the well-known high street multiple chains and also for the international export market.
“In the short term we want to enable manufacturers to take staff off furlough and get factories back up to capacity. But in the longer term it is about safeguarding the economic sustainability of the industry, by protecting jobs, championing skills and helping consumers to understand the value of spending a little more to buy into excellent British craftsmanship.
“Buying into real quality also means another step toward reduced environmental impact. It achieves this through buying once and having the furniture last for a long time, sometimes a lifetime, rather than having to send lots of poorly made products to landfill.
“‘Made in Britain’ is a stamp of quality that is recognised globally and it’s an asset that must be championed in both the domestic market and further afield. This is nothing to do with politics or a small island mentality, it is absolutely all about rebuilding our economy.”
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Nick Garratt, MD of British Furniture Manufacturers, said: “We are delighted to see Barker and Stonehouse launch this campaign and push the buy British message.
“We need to highlight the importance of the sector to our national economy and the quality and assurance that comes from buying British-made products.
“It has never been more important for our industry to come together and display the array of talent we have, across the nation.”
Helen Dickinson, CEO of the British Retail Consortium, said: “With the public spending more and more time at home, demand for quality furniture has been rising. Since many of these stores began to reopen, we are seeing a release of some of this pent up demand across the country.
“The British Retail Consortium supports the Let’s Get Going Britain campaign to support both furniture sellers and manufacturers in the 海角视频. Every item sold supports jobs right through the supply chain – helping us to rebuild our economy together.”