Penwith Upholstery, based in Redruth, is expanding after winning a clutch of contracts to upholster interior furniture at several up market venues in the capital.Their success story started last summer after the company secured a contract to supply bespoke seating for the Tonteria nightclub in Sloane Square, the latest venture for nightclub owner Guy Pelly and close friend of Prince William.
From that job, word of Penwith Upholstery’s specialist skills in ‘banquette’ (bench style) seating spread among the members of London’s exclusive after hours set.
Orders for jobs at more high-end venues started coming in and today business from London clientele accounts for more than 80% of the company’s turnover.
Some of their latest commissions include The Chelsea Brasserie in Sloane Square, Margaux Wine Bar in Chelsea, Amika boutique nightclub in Mayfair and Veeraswamy, London’s oldest Indian restaurant, in Regent Street.
Chartered Surveyors Miller Commercial have just negotiated a new lease for Penwith Upholstery to relocate to a larger unit, more than twice the size of their previous base, at Bells Business Park, Cardrew.
Sarah Bawden, who owns Penwith Upholstery, has been overseeing the move. She says finding bigger premises was vital in order to service the increase in the volume of work.
She says “Today’s success is a very different story from the difficult times we were facing in 2011. The decision we took then, to focus our efforts on niche up-market venues has paid off.
Clients in and around London are choosing us over the larger longer established upholstery firms.
I think they appreciated the ‘Cornish connection’ and the more bespoke, niche nature of our company.
Closer to home we undertake upholstery projects in the Healthcare and Marine sectors. Doctors and dental surgeries, work for the MOD and merchant ships.
But here too we’re getting more commissions at the high-end of the market, working in association with Pendennis Shipyard on the interior of luxury super yachts.
Things are really looking good for us right now. We’ve taken on more staff and are considering branching out into soft furnishings which would complement our existing work.
Whatever new business our future brings we plan to stay based firmly in Cornwall.”
