From bespoke interiors to flooring and furnishing, construction and waste management to financial planning, we speak to six great Cotswold businesses with family values at their heart
Neptune Business Centre, Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham, GL51 9FB
01242 521661
Winnens has been a family run business since 1929. From their furnishing manufacturing days, they have come a long way. Now the main focus is carpets and flooring for the home and commercial sector, as well as furnishings, curtains and blinds.
Who or what inspires you?
I take a lot of inspiration from the mountains, when I am there I find it clears my mind which then gives me fresh ideas. Their natural beauty takes your breath away and if we can put just a little of that into people's home decor I think we have done a good job.
What is the best advice you've ever been given?
"Eating a frog for breakfast". If you have something unpleasant to deal with get it boxed off first thing. That way your mind is clear to get on with the rest of the day.
What does the future have in store for you?
Possibly another store and developing an online side to the business. Online sales of boxed flooring products, furniture and changes to the website to allow better customer interaction.
79 Clarence Street, Cheltenham, GL50 3LB
01242 525752
Find Granley Blinds on Facebook
Our family have been manufacturing and installing bespoke beautiful blinds to Cheltenham, the Cotswolds and surrounding areas for over 50 years. We pride ourselves on making quality blinds using the best components in our workshop based in the centre of Cheltenham.
Who or what inspires you?
We take most inspiration from our customers. We love having customers visit our showroom or calling out to customers' homes, some know exactly what they are looking for and others don't. This inspires us to provide customers with advice to find a product/colours/patterns to best suit their home and needs.
What is the best advice you've ever been given?
Treat people how you wish to be treated yourself. This applies to our customers and employees. We are not a large nationwide company and we don't want to be; we want our customers to come back to us because we provide a great service and excellent aftercare support too.
What does the future have in store for you?
We are planning to update our online service and strive to source current trends and styles. Another issue we would like to address is finding as many of our products from sustainable sources as we can. We look forward to another 50 years trading as a local independent business. Let's keep it local!
The Boat House, Station Road, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1AZ
01491 572035
Hobbs of Henley, est. 1870, is a family run, pleasure boating business. Current MD, Jonathan, is fifth generation Hobbs, keeping business booming and continuously building on their brand. A more recent addition to the company is their 'Mr Hobbs Gin', which features a photograph of the founding father on the bottle.
Who or what inspires you?
As a family we are inspired by the River Thames on which we have plied our trade on for 400 years. It is a beautiful natural resource on which we are proud to work, conserve and navigate
What is the best advice you've ever been given?
'If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary'. We have always tried to evolve and diversify in our business and that is a reason for our longevity.
What does the future have in store for you?
Our long term strategy is to continue to be the best providers of boat rental on The Thames, develop new experiences for our customers and to explore reducing the environmental impact of leisure boating, as well as producing more varieties of Mr Hobbs Gin!
Crown Chambers, 7 Market Place, Melksham, SN12 6ES
01225 791848
Total QSR Ltd based in Melksham, Wiltshire are a leading catering equipment maintenance company. We specialise in service, repairs, electrical testing; PAT, Emergency lights and Fixed wire testing and gas safety. Our specialist engineers are the largest team in our business numbering up to 30 of our 50 employees.
Who or what inspires you?
We are inspired by providing great service to our customers and "keeping them open for business". Our skilled engineers provide vital services for businesses across the UK allowing them to continue trading. We carry a large amount of van stock to ensure we deliver a high first-time fix.
What is the best advice you've ever been given?
Always strive for excellence. We strive for the best service standards. Our mission is to provide a first-time fix every time and get our customers serving their customers at an optimum level. This business philosophy has served us well and has allowed us to develop a successful business.
What does the future have in store for you?
Great things. In the near future, we plan to work with more restaurants and brands to help them stay open for business. We plan on continuing our excellent standard of service. With our first-time fix being above industry standard, we solve appliance problems at a high rate.
Moreton road, Longborough, GL56 0QJ
01451 830400
Established in 1969, StowAg now enters its 50th year of trading as a family run business. They attain to their mission of keeping the countryside working by supplying the farming community, contractors, smallholdings and country estates, with over 12,000 products. StowAg offer free delivery within a 50-mile radius of their country store in Longborough.
Who or what inspires you?
We gather our inspiration from the world around. The ever-changing rich and diverse face of farming causes us to constantly refine our product offering and services. No matter how much we grow and expand, there is always a supportive team of experts to offer the best customer service and advice.
What is the best advice you've ever been given?
That our customers are always first. They are the core, the foundation on which our organisation is built. Therefore, listening to their concerns and desires, and placing them paramount in our decisions ensures we are offering the customer the very best experience.
What does the future have in store for you?
As a company, we are always seeking to deliver the best quality service and product range to a new and established loyal customer base. Although rapidly expanding and adapting to market demands, such as on-line sales, reps sales and our expanding shop, we will remain a family-based, trusted company for years to follow.
Unit 9, Elmsfield Industrial Estate, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire OX7 5XL
01608 643897
Cottonwood Interiors is an award-winning family run business, based in the Cotswolds. With over three decades to perfect their craft, the small, friendly team delivers big results. Using expert knowledge and a wealth of experience, Cottonwood Interiors design and create beautiful bespoke kitchens and home interiors to suit their customer's specifications.
Who or what inspires you? Having had a passion for carpentry from an early age, and what you can create from a beautiful piece of wood has ultimately given me the drive to fulfil my vocation in life! Our aim is to bring great design ideas to completion, fulfilling our customers needs and their inspirations.
What is the best advice you've ever been given? Jason's great Grandfather once told him two valuable rules in carpentry and business, these were "Measure twice, cut once" and "The customer is always right" Our business adheres to these quotes everyday in the workshop and we listen to our customer requirements, keeping them coming back!
What does the future have in store for you? The future is looking bright! We have acquired new premises, our team is consistently growing and we have just been shortlisted by West Oxford Business Awards, for Small Business of the Year 2019! We are also very excited about launching our online Home Interiors shop in the spring.
