With 50 years’ experience in fitting out care homes and assisted living accommodation, Barons Contract Furniture has become a corporate supporter of The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, as the business embarks on the next chapter of its evolution.
Based in Lytham and with a 70-strong team, Barons Furniture manages complete furniture fit-out projects, specialising in working with the care home and residential assisted living markets. Liaising closely with customers’ architects, managers and interior designers, it provides a one-stop shop, manufacturing a wide selection of high-quality furniture, from upholstered sofas and chairs to dining and bedroom furniture.
Established in 1974, the privately-owned family business underwent an MBO a year ago, led by Garry Smith as managing director and supported by Gary Lasham as chair. Since then, the £10m turnover business has entered a new phase of growth, moving to a larger distribution centre in Leyland, and now joining The Furniture Makers’ Company.
“Having worked in the furniture industry for many years, including being familiar with MBOs, I joined Barons to share my experience and act as a mentor,” explains Gary Lasham, chair of Barons Furniture. “I could see that there was a huge opportunity to drive the business forward and as I had been involved with other businesses that had joined The Furniture Makers’ Company, I knew that membership would really help our transformation.
“We share many of the same values - it is a livery company with a renowned history and we too are proud of our long-established business and the dynamic British furnishing industry. Although we are a relatively small business, we want to be connected to the heart of the sector and, as a member of The Furniture Makers’ Company, we will be able to network widely, learning from other members’ experiences, as well as the benefit of being able to tap into the industry’s design talent. In addition, membership will strengthen our training and ESG initiatives.”
Barons Furniture will be formally welcomed as a corporate supporter at an admission ceremony on 10th December at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London. Gary Lasham, chair, will be admitted as a corporate freeman and personally welcomed by the Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company.
Brian Ahern, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, said: “It’s great to see industry veterans like Gary Lasham continuing to see the value of being part of the livery company and keen to use membership to support business development. While we include some of the best-known names in the furnishings industry within our ranks, we are also pleased to be able to assist smaller businesses like Barons Furniture on their growth journey.”
Becoming a corporate member or supporter provides opportunities for leading businesses from the trade to support the Company’s charitable activities, get involved with civic events and network with other members.
