A family who set up their own high street furniture store to see if they could ‘make a go of it’ have announced that it’s here to stay – and they are considering expanding into other locations.
Dhian Singh and his wife Sukhveer Kaur set up Land of Furniture two years ago in Wakefield town centre with their sons Humraj and Dillon. They have now acquired the building with the help of funding from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia Debt as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).
Dhian has years of experience in the furniture trade, having worked in the firm which his father Shamsher Singh founded almost 40 years ago and which now has stores in Otley, Meanwood, Shipley, Harrogate and Selby.
At a time when high streets are facing tough competition from online or out-of-town retail, Dhian believes customer service and understanding customers’ needs are the key to success. “Customers really like the personal service we offer,” he explains. “We will deliver, assemble the item and even take away their old furniture – something the big stores cannot do. They can also see the furniture at first hand, instead of relying on a picture only to find out later that it’s not quite what it seemed. And we can have items made to measure.
“Our success has also been very much due to the support of the wider family. Buying the premises will help secure the store’s future and enable us to continue building the business, with the aim of creating a legacy for our sons and generations to come.”
Ian Whitworth of Mercia Debt said the loan was arranged within just three weeks. “In the face of tough competition, Dhian and Sukhveer have built a thriving business by offering first-class service. While they had the opportunity to buy their premises, they needed to complete within a tight deadline and we were pleased to be able to help. We look forward to seeing the business go from strength to strength.”
Sarah Newbould, senior investment manager at the British Business Bank, said: “Dhian, Sukhveer and their sons have built something really great with Land of Furniture, drawing on their experience and putting customer service at the heart of what they do. Through NPIF II, we’re proud to support businesses like this that are helping to keep our high streets vibrant while creating opportunities for the next generation. We look forward to seeing how the business continues to grow.”
Jay Patel at Richmonds Accountants in Leeds provided fundraising advice to the company.
