Middlesbrough-based Barker & Stonehouse unveils £1m London showroom

North East furniture company, Barker and Stonehouse is expanding further into the South with a new £1m showroom in London.

The furniture firm is opening their ninth store, a new showroom in Battersea, creating 28 new jobs.

Set to open in July, the 25,000 sq ft showroom will be based over two floors in one of the most historic buildings south of the Thames – the old Price’s Candle factory.

The expansion comes hot on the heels of its new £4m Knaresborough store which opening on Boxing Day 2012.

The project manager of the Yorkshire store will also represent the North East in London to ensure the success of the new Battersea Store.

With head offices in Middlesbrough, Barker and Stonehouse has added nine stores to its portfolio since it first started trading in Stockton-on-Tees in 1946.

Barker and Stonehouse managing director, James Barker, said: “We’re really excited about this new store, we feel the time is right to expand to the South and we’re confident that we’ve got a lot to offer the London audience.

“We’ve invested heavily in developing our own exclusive ranges so we know we’ve got something different to offer customers.”

“We’re also delighted to have found such a great building for the store.

“Apart from the beautiful architecture it has beautiful natural light and its own car parking.

“There was also a twist of fate as we discovered a North East connection while renovating the building.

“Our head office is in Middlesbrough and the steel in the building’s interior is from Middlesbrough-company Dorman Long.

“It was a nice surprise and we’ll be retaining as many features of the original iron framework as possible.”

The new Battersea store will sell furniture from the pioneering Trees4Trees sustainable forestry foundation which James Barker played a leading role in setting up.

The store will also feature low energy heating and an eco-lighting system specially designed by the company.