Member Article

Barker and Stonehouse unveils £4m 'green' flagship store

Furniture retailer Barker and Stonehouse has invested £4m in a new flagship store in Yorkshire and is claiming it to be the greenest furniture store in the UK.

Twelve highly-skilled Yorkshire craftsmen spent six months on the new 35,000 sq ft store, in addition to range of local companies.

The new store – in Knaresborough - is a shining example of the company’s commitment to grow the business while keeping sustainability at the top of its agenda.

And the interesting features of the Knaresborough store, which attracted a top BREEAM rating, are not just on the inside - the glass and steel structure is topped with a ‘living roof’ which will soon be home to healthy vegetation, with the aim of attracting insects and wildlife.

Other sustainable features include natural ventilation, low-energy heating, an innovative heat recovery system and a unique eco-friendly lighting system designed by Barker and Stonehouse.

Managing director James Barker said: “We are always striving to introduce and invest in the latest innovations. The new Knaresborough store is an example of this and will result in an improved customer experience.

“Customers told us they wanted more responsible retailing and we’ve invested heavily to meet this demand.

“We’ve worked with The Carbon Trust to significantly reduce our carbon footprint in the new store and across all our stores and operations.”

Founded in Stockton-on-Tees in 1946, Barker and Stonehouse is the largest independent furniture retailer in the UK with stores in Knaresborough, Leeds, Hull, Middlesbrough, Darlington, Newcastle and Gateshead.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Lane .