Cutlery shop aims to cut through crisis and continue 118-year history
The boss of a cutlery firm is urging people to shop locally and support independent businesses.
The Arthur Price factory shop in Lichfield has just reopened.
It will initially be open three days a week – Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9am to 3pm.
The shop, based on Britannia Way has implemented strict safety and welfare guidelines for both staff and customers. There is a one-way route, a sanitiser station, screened till point and staff can only take card payments.
Simon Price, chief executive, said: “I am quite emotional about the shop reopening. As a family business, Arthur Price has been part of my life since I can remember and simply turning the lights on in the shop was a great feeling.
“Bev, the factory shop manager has been great, making sure we are ready to safely welcome customers both old and new. We opened last week, a soft re-launch, to make sure everything that was needed was in place so we could all be safe, and sales exceeded my expectations.
“It will be interesting to see what happens with the shop. Our website has seen sales increase by 138 per cent since this time last year. Based upon the factory shop sales last week, without announcing we were open, I am encouraged.”
Arthur Price invites customers to browse in the shop or they can call or email their orders. There is lots of free parking immediately outside and all purchases can be placed straight into people’s cars.
The lockdown marked the first closure in the 118-year history of the cutlery firm.
The factories of the family-owned business in Birmingham and Sheffield remain are in the process of reopening this week.
