A large mill in Nelson, originally a textile mill but most recently owned by the Department for Work and Pensions, has been purchased by Burnley manufacturer Sweet Dreams in a deal worth £1m.
Scholefield Mill, on Brunswick Street, has been used for data storage for around a century – latterly by the DWP, but formerly the NHS and before that, after the First World War, for the storage of military medical records. The 165,000 sqft mill, which comprises a three-storey building to the front and a single storey, former weaving mill to the rear, was built in 1907.
"We are delighted to have made this purchase," says Riaz Ahmed, Sweet Dreams’ MD. "The recent £3m investment in new buildings at our current Primrose Mill premises has proved to us how important it is to have appropriate space to allow our business operations to develop and expand. When we saw this opportunity, we were quick to appreciate how significant it could be as we take our plans for our sister company forwards.
"Comfort Zone Sofas has made remarkable strides in 2015 and we’re delighted to be able to move the operation to its own premises where it can grow organically without being restricted by limitations of space. Similarly, the core Sweet Dreams business will now also be able to evolve as we increasingly focus on our own manufactured beds, with all that entails."
Sweet Dreams has taken on 70 new employees this year so far as both companies continue their growth. Sweet Dreams made the Scholefield Mill purchase in early May, and expects to move the Comfort Zone Sofas manufacturing operation there over the next few months.
