Northallerton furnishing and lifestyle store, Barkers Home, has won a major award following its £3m redevelopment. The family-owned business on Yafforth Road won in the commercial building category at the North and East Yorkshire Building Excellence Awards.
Earlier this year, Barkers Home underwent a major redevelopment – the biggest investment by Barkers, which also owns the eponymous department store on Northallerton High Street.
Barkers Home was expanded by 20,000ft2 to 60,000ft2 – almost an acre-and-a-half - to create a section for contemporary furniture, bigger linens department, new cook, wine and dine section, and gifts section, while there was also a revamp of the first-floor bedroom furniture and soft furnishings section.
The Tree View Café within Barkers Home was also extended from 100 seats to 150 seats, while the exterior of the store was given a makeover, thanks to award-winning gardener Will Quarmby.
The new-look Barkers Home was designed by SP&A Architects in Stokesley and building work was carried out by Darlington-based Wharton Construction, another family business, which has worked for Barkers for the past 10 years.
Barkers Home director Ian Barker says: “The whole redevelopment has transformed Barkers Home into a modern, vibrant store, and to win an award for the building is the icing on the cake. We have also received fantastic feedback from customers, praising both the interior and exterior of the building.
“To be a serious player in the furnishing market, we need to continually improve, and that was behind our redevelopment plans. The expanded store is large for the size of the town, but Northallerton draws from a vast area including Leeds, York, Teesside and Durham, and has earned a terrific reputation for its choice of quality shops and stores, unique independents and multiples, and easy parking.”
Barkers chairman Charles Barker adds: “We visited many stores in the UK and travelled to New York looking for ideas to give the new Barkers Home a different and inspirational look. We wanted to create a spacious, slightly quirky environment that would make it both relaxing and fun to browse, choose home furnishings and also be a great place to work. We’re so pleased that it’s been such a hit with customers and staff alike and to win this highly acclaimed award makes it all the more special.”
The store has introduced exciting new brands in contemporary furniture, linens, gifts and cookware, including Cath Kidston, Ted Baker, Poole Pottery, Joules, the Mary Berry collection, Jamie Oliver bakeware, Fama, Stressless and Collins and Hayes. It is also stocking a range of more than 70 beds by leading manufacturers.
Barkers Home now employs 60 staff, after the expansion created an extra 15 full and part-time jobs.
