In the Company Of: Meet the family business from Tadcaster solving all your hardware and DIY problems

Q: In a nutshell, what does your company do and how did it start?

A: We are a hardware and DIY shop which also supplies electrical, tools, giftware, stationery, timber, cookware, paint and gardening products.

The business has been running for over 170 years, but we took over in 2002. I had been the manager since 1997 and took over when the owner decided he wanted to sell. I ran it with my father until his death, and now run it with my wife.

Q: What's the most surprising thing about it?

A: The most surprising thing about the business is that despite carrying 25,000 lines we still get asked for products we don’t stock!

Q: What do you do in the business?

A: I run the business from day to day, overseeing sales, buying, and pretty much everything else in between.

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Q: How did you end up here?

A: I started in the DIY/hardware trade from school. It was only supposed to be a temporary job until I went into the Navy, but I enjoyed it so much I’m still doing it.

I worked for Ralph Coombes Ltd, my local store in my hometown of Haslemere in Surrey. My father was relocated with work to Leeds in 1992 and my family moved to Tadcaster. I followed in 1993 and got a job working for Wardmans in Wetherby, which had recently been taken over by Woollons & Harwood. After five years I moved to Allen’s, where I’ve been ever since.

Q: If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing?

A: I think I would still be selling. I’ve always been into cycling – mountain-biking mainly but also road – so I would probably sell and/or repair bikes.

Q: What motivates you?

A: I’m not actually sure. I’ve always been a driven person. I can’t put my finger on why, but I love the challenges that owning a business throws up.

I also love to be kept busy and in the hardware trade you never stop moving.

Q: What one thing do you wish you had known when you started out in business?

A: I knew my business pretty well as a manager, but I wish I had known how much more is involved in owning as opposed to running a business – when everything you do or every decision you make can impact on not only yourself but also your staff who rely on you.

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Q: What excites you about business?

A: Waking up on a Monday morning with the challenge of ending the week with good takings.

Also, that feeling of success when you’ve solved someone else’s problem and know that they’ve walked out of the door happy.

Q: What is your pet hate in business?

A: I actually have two. The first is red tape, which takes up a huge amount of time and takes me away from serving customers.

The second is rude customers. As a retail worker you are often viewed as the lowest of the low; some customers certainly see you as that but there really is no need for rudeness.

Q: What advice would you give to people just starting their careers?

A: It doesn’t matter where you are in the food chain, always treat others with respect.

I would never ask any of my staff to do anything I wouldn’t. You will very often find me sweeping the floor or cleaning shelves etc. As a business owner it’s really important that you roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty. The respect you get from showing you’re one of the boys/girls is worth every penny.

Q: Who in business do you most admire, and why?

A: I admire anyone who has started their own business and made a success of it.

If we’re talking about famous business people it would have to be Alan Sugar, partly because he started in the markets right at the bottom and made his way all the way to the top of big business – which proves that anyone can get there – but also because we share a love of Tottenham Hotspur.

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Q: What moments of your career so far stand out?

A: My career highlights have been coming back from the flooding and rebuilding the business in 2015 and 2022.

These two disasters were real low points, particularly 2015 – we lost around half of our stock, and with the river bridge collapse and Bridge Street closed for over a year we also lost all of our passing trade.

Subsequently, rebuilding the business took time, but we bounced back and although times are tough at present we are still surviving.

Q: What sets your company apart from the competition?

A: As with all independent businesses we have to offer something different and ours is service. We pride ourselves on the fact that our service is second to none. If we don’t stock something we will try and get hold of it.

We know our products. We test them so that we can thoroughly recommend them, and we can also offer advice and tips on how to get the best out of them.

Q: What is the most difficult challenge your company has faced? And what challenges are you experiencing at the moment?

A: As mentioned previously, river flooding is a huge issue for all of Tadcaster, and until flood defences are completed this hangs like a black cloud over the town.

The cost-of-living crisis is a problem as customers have less cash readily available. The regeneration of the town is currently out to public consultation. The plan involves new houses and changing aspects of the town, for example parking and pedestrianisation, and until this is resolved I feel doing business in Tadcaster will be tough.

Q: Have you got a five-year plan for the company?

A: We don’t have a five-year plan as such; our future rather hangs on the town plan mentioned above.

Hopefully some sort of plan will be approved and work will start quickly. Otherwise I do feel it will be tough going for us and other businesses. This seems to be the story for other small towns too.

I think customers have a role to play – it is very easy to shop at the big out-of-town places or use Amazon, eBay and other online platforms, but if we want the High Street to survive we all need to make a concerted effort to shop locally.

Q: Why is it good to do business in Tadcaster?

A: Speaking as an outsider coming in, Tadcaster is a great place to do business.

It has that friendly small-town “olde worlde” charm of the Yorkshire of days gone by, with Samuel Smiths dray horses delivering beer, and your stereotypical local characters, but also it is in a great position for anyone wanting to live out of York or Leeds but have the convenience of living in the countryside.

Factfile:

Name: Martin Raggett

Age: 49

Birthplace: Haslemere, Surrey

Job title: Partner

Company name: Allen’s Ironmongers

Company address: 19 Bridge Street, Tadcaster LS24 9AW, North Yorkshire

Company founded: 1851/2002

Turnover: n/a

Number of staff: 3