To share a brief history, John originally sold wholesale knitwear at Shropshire markets and showgrounds. He regularly had to hire marquees from a local supplier for the shows but was getting increasingly frustrated by the poor-quality and often mould-ridden marquees he was renting. Seeing an opportunity, John's son Andrew decided to take matters into his own hands.
In the mid-1970s, John had bought a marquee and Andrew taught himself to sew. He purchased a role of canvas and a second-hand Singer sewing machine, using the marquee as a template, and meticulously copied, cut and stitched together his very first marquee in his bedroom at his parent’s bungalow in Barwell which was called ‘Kingsmead’.
This marquee proved to be a game-changer. When Andrew used it at the shows, other stall owners took notice. Impressed by its superior quality, they began asking for their own. And just like that, a business was born.
