James Hargreaves Plumbing Depot’s trade counters and bathroom showrooms continue to flood the UK, but nowhere is the company’s success more apparent than right here at home!
Indeed, the booming Burnley branch – based at headquarters on Todmorden Road/Parliament Street – has just posted record annual sales.
Burnley also supplies most of the company’s 57 branches – no mean feat considering phenomenal geographic growth in recent years which sees James Hargreaves Plumbing Depot now with outlets from Newcastle to Milton Keynes and Blackpool to Hull.
Adrian Hope, the man in charge of the Burnley trade counter, oversees not only a thriving branch but also some 17,000 product lines and 3.2 million units of stock!
“It’s certainly busy and our figures show that we must be doing something right,” said 47-year-old Adrian, who has been Branch Manager for the past 14 years.
Adrian believes four key factors keep customers coming back time and again: “Quality, stock, service and value … that’s what sets us apart from other companies. We have a loyal customer base that continues to grow and people know that they can rely on us. We have never been afraid of buying in stock, something our competition has been reducing in recent years.”
Whilst admitting that customer care tops his list of employee ‘must haves’, Adrian also believes the staying power at James Hargreaves Plumbing Depot has created an immensely loyal and knowledgeable team.
“Our seven-strong team here at Burnley totals over 150 years in the business and that experience is invaluable. Once people join the company they tend to stay. We have the longest-serving employee of all on site here in Bob England, who has clocked up 39 years’ service, specialising in our heating spares department.
“All our Branch Managers across Lancashire have worked in the Burnley branch at some point so there is always the opportunity to move up.”
Father-of-two Adrian, whose son Brandon currently works in the warehouse, is an avid follower of Burnley FC – a club that James Hargreaves Plumbing Depot has long shared an affiliation.
“We have sponsored the main James Hargreaves stand at Turf Moor since it was built in 1997 and enjoy a very good relationship with the club; matchdays also present a great opportunity to entertain customers.”
Bill Davies, Sales Director at James Hargreaves Plumbing Depot, said: “Our continuing development across the country in terms of new branches and showrooms is only possible because of our strong base and roots. Burnley is a classic example of what we are all about and Adrian and his team typify the James Hargreaves philosophy.”
