Member Article

TV coverage, awards + new contracts for top NE events company

An award-winning North East company is celebrating a record summer, securing new contracts all over the UK, working with a major TV programme and being nominated for two business awards.

Well known Northumberland businesswoman, Sarah Pittendrigh, set up Simply Bows and Chair Covers in 2008 and now has a franchise network operating from Aberdeen to South Wales and into Essex and Berkshire.

Sarah’s latest figures show that this summer has been the company’s most successful to date with all franchises seeing a huge increase in the number of events completed. In total, the network has dressed over 500 weddings during June, July and August.

One of the most high profile contract wins for Simply Bows and Chair Covers included being invited to dress the wedding of ‘Tracey Barlow’ in Coronation Street, which is to be aired in the coming weeks. Joanne Smith runs the Lancashire franchise and has become well known for her work across the region. Producers contacted her after seeing one of her events and invited her to be part of the high profile storyline.

Sarah, who herself runs the County Durham and Teesside franchise, has secured exclusive supplier status with Headlam Hall in Darlington and has become the preferred supplier for Seaham Hall and Auckland Castle.

In addition, Simply Bows and Chair Covers has been short-listed for the best small business award in the North East Woman Entrepreneur Awards and Sarah has been nominated for the Susan Dobson Award for Entrepreneurship.

Speaking about her business’s success, Sarah said: “It really has been a phenomenal summer for all of my franchisees. They’ve worked so hard and really deserve their incredible success. Every single one has had their best three months on record. It’s a real honour to be nominated for the two business awards and it’s also really exciting that our chair covers are going to feature on Coronation Street.”

Joanne Smith, who runs the Lancashire franchise, added: “I work at lots of very well known hotels and venues across Lancashire and I was overwhelmed to be contacted by the people at Coronation Street. What a coup! It’s a real boost for Simply Bows and Chair Covers and we’re all so proud that our products will feature on TV.”

Simply Bows and Chair Covers has this year celebrated its fifth year in business. Over the last five years, the company has completed over 2000 weddings and events and has fitted more than 125,000 chair covers.

The franchise network has preferred supplier at hotels all over the UK including Close House Hotel and the Durham Marriott Royal Court in the North East, Rudding Park in North Yorkshire, Donnington Hotel and Spa, Berkshire and Carnoustie Golf Hotel and Spa near Dundee, to name but a few.

Simply Bows and Chair Covers has evolved into a UK-wide franchise operation with franchises around Scotland and as far south as South Wales and Essex. The company hires made-to-measure luxury chair covers, chair cover accessories and table linens all designed and manufactured in-house and professionally fitted at each event.

The company has won over 14 business awards, including the coveted British Chamber of Commerce Most Promising New Business accolade in 2012 and accolades such as the Franchise Marketing Awards ‘Best Website’ finalist, second only to McDonalds, 2012 Newcomer of the Year at the North East Business Awards and Best Small Business in North East Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. The company has also been picked out by Dragons Den, Theo Paphitis, as part of his #SBS – a competition he runs on twitter to identify promising small businesses.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Addison Associates .