Cutlery firm sees changes in life during lockdown through its online sales

The shops and factories of this family-owned business remain closed, but its website is seeing an increase in demand, not just for everyday cutlery due to more people spending time at home, but increased sales in its high-ticket, silver service pieces and more traditional patterns as many people replicate going out to the pub or a restaurant around their kitchen or dinner table.

Chief executive Simon Price said: “At the end of March, I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what the future held for the company. We had a many online orders so with lots of planning, and a very small team of five people we were able to recently start fulfilling sales will adhering to strict safety working rules. It is lots of small steps as we adapt to this new norm, but demand is steadily rising, and you can see how life has changed over the last three months just by looking at our cutlery sales.

“With fewer people commuting, home-schooling and many furloughed, people and families are obviously together more at normal mealtimes. Takeaway are sales rocketing, Zoom parties and quizzes the new entertainment, and movie nights replacing a trip to the pub or a restaurant. And with so many anniversaries, birthdays and weddings being missed, people are certainly being creative and finding ways to make their ‘Big Night In’ feel as special as possible. We’ve seen demand for all products higher than we expected, interestingly on our prestigious high-ticket silver-plate cutlery sets, as people aim to recreate that ‘going out’ experience in their own home.

“I’m so grateful that there is still demand for our products and I’d love to hang out the bunting, welcome everyone to our shops with a glass of something but alas it isn’t to be at the moment. As we are all missing going out to pubs and restaurants, we have created a ‘Stay At Home Sale’ – 35 per cent off everything and free UK mainland delivery with no minimum order, until the end of May.”

The business temporarily closed for the first time in its 118-year history back in March. Started in Birmingham in October 1902 it has survived two world wars, the Great Depression and Spanish Flu but, as a non-essential business.

Simon Price, the fourth generation of the Price family at the helm, closed the door on March 23. Simon together with his son James are working in their Lichfield warehouse packing boxes and dispatching orders supported by three others, compared to a team of normally over 100.

James Price said: “Online demand is increasing and my Dad and I are working flat out to pack the orders as our shops across the UK and factories in Sheffield or Birmingham will remain closed until it is safe to open. I spent many summer holidays working in the warehouse, learning about the business and this has helped me fulfill many more orders than we had expected. We have lots of brand-new stock across all ranges, but it is interesting how different product patterns are coming to the fore, many of which are enjoying a renaissance.

“For the remainder of May we are going for it with a huge promotion – 35 per cent off is a big saving especially on our silver canteens, but the offer is across every single item and there is no silly nonsense of minimum orders or charging for delivery. It’s a simple, transparent offer but only available until the end of May.”