Value and quality are the hallmarks of British furniture that resonate in this campaign led by ACID members Barker & Stonehouse to galvanise the UK’s retailers to be a collective voice. Energising and stimulating the sectors’ retailers has been supported by the British Furniture Manufacturers Association and the British Retail Consortium saving jobs along the way.

Leading publication “Inside Furniture” editor Dan Squires reports that “The campaign, entitled ‘Let’s Get Going Britain!’ supports homegrown furniture makers, calling for the furniture retail sector to use its collective voice to talk-up the value and quality of the UK’s furniture making businesses.

Dids Macdonald OBE., CEO of ACID and Immediate Past Master of the Furniture Makers said “I thoroughly commend Barker & Stonehouse’s energetic call to action. Only those retailers who are prepared to lead by example will get others enthused enough to follow suit. This is a great industry supporting around 120,000 jobs and in 2018 turnover from the sector totalled £11.8 billion. Flying flag UK and getting Britain going could not be a more appropriate rally cry as we emerge from C19 and exit from the EU”

AS reported in “Inside Furniture”, James Barker, Managing Director at Barker and Stonehouse comments: “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 UK, 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.

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