World of Beatrix Potter

For 21 years the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction has drawn families from all over the world to engage in the creations of the celebrated Lakeland author.

The retail arm of the business was for much of that time a secondary function to the enterprise.

But a significant investment in 2006 saw the relocation of the shop within the attraction, increasing the selling space by 20 per cent and truly turning the spotlight on retail ambitions.

Chief Executive Andy Poole said: “The primary aim of the business is to complement Beatrix Potter’s work and faithfully recreate her stories with attention to detail. Beatrix Potter was a great innovator and we reflect this in the way we drive the business forward.” A decision to specialise solely on Potter branded products rather than a mixture of generally available tourist merchandise proved to be a commercially astute move.

And an increasing focus in online customers is harnessing the enthusiasm of overseas Potter fans.

Mr Poole visited Japan last year as part of a Lakeland delegation, keen to capitalise on the already 20,000 Japanese visitors that come through the attraction annually.

He said: “The business has never stayed still, always developing and striving to stay fresh and keep abreast of new technology and local collaborations.”

As well as the attraction and online shops, the firm has a specialised nursery shop close by in Bowness.

Mr Poole added: “Each of the outlets is doing something very different but what we manage to do so well is combine all three and tailor each to provide what everybody want.”

Armstrong Ward

AN INNOVATIVE Kendal retailer has put its continuing success down to the inspiration of customers.

Husband and wife team Andrew and Jacqueline Ward launched Armstrong Ward in 2005 and aimed to fill a gap in the market in South Lakeland for quality, design-led gifts and furniture.

Since then, the pair have taken the business from strength to strength. In 2008, they launched an e-commerce site and in 2010 developed a mail order catalogue. And there are more plans for expansion this year to grow sales with a website re-launch.

Armstrong Ward stocks homeware, gifts and furniture such as Emma Bridgewater, Wesley Barrell and Orla Kiely, as well as locally produced products such as Sedbergh Soap. Mr and Mrs Ward say they are passionate about seeking out new things to stock and enjoy choosing their ranges.

They admit to being ‘obsessive’ about finding lovely things that excite them and say that they owe their success to the fact that they respect and listen to customers, which they say inspires them every day. In particular, they are pleased to hear customers’ suggestions about things they would like to see the store doing next.

They believe that the imaginative way products are displayed and the service customers receive in the store, whether it is finding a perfect present or a sofa, is what sets them apart from other retailers.

This year, the pair hopes to increase online offers when the website re-launches in the coming months.

Age UK

South Lakeland’s Age UK branch has set a fine example of how a charity can cope through a recession.

Local people have been helped by the charity since 1978, but in recent years a focus moved to retail income to ease reliance on diminishing grants.

In 2008 the charity’s trustees cautiously took the decision to invest in its shops - now in Kendal, Grange-over-Sands, Windermere, Ulverston, Milnthorpe and Ambleside; a move they need not have been afraid of.

As local authority spending cuts have continued to bite this year, the charity has had to boost funding from its own sources. Head of retail John O’Brien said: “During this financial year, spending cuts are being felt by local older people and they need even more support in areas like benefits claims, working out what social care needs they have and how to pay for them.

“There is still so much to do but in our three year business plan, we are surpassing our targets for year one.

“We have opened shops in Milnthorpe and Ambleside in the last year and put a lot of focus on online selling, sending items all over the world. Essentially we have embraced a new attitude towards how charities can make money.”

The charity’s retail success can also be seen in the number of staff, almost doubling in the last 12 months from 10 to 18.

And plans for the future should see the charity go from strength to strength, and its operations streamlined.

Staff want to increase their collections activity to more remote areas of South Lakeland and to further develop the charity’s online presence with a dedicated e-commerce website.

Mr O’Brien added: “I think our retail business is different from others because of the passion of all the staff and volunteers, what we stand for and what we raise money for.”