Member Article

Iconic Yorkshire furniture showrooms open after £250k refurbishment

Geoffrey Benson & Son, the iconic North Yorkshire supplier of tailor-made classic English furniture, has re-opened its doors after a £250,000 refurbishment.

The company, which occupies a landmark building at Green Hammerton, midway between York and Harrogate on the A59, has completely overhauled its showrooms and stock to create a stunning collection of 21st century interiors.

Martin Benson, owner and managing director, explained: “Apart from our move to Green Hammerton from Low Petergate in the centre of York in 1991, this is the most significant development in our 81-year-old history.

“We had a hugely successful sale of our existing stock in August, which has cleared the way for a brand-new selection of classic hand-crafted interior products. These included sofas, chairs, handmade oak furniture, lights and mirrors in our extensive showrooms,” explained Mr Benson.

“It was like a massive Spring clean, except that it took place in the Summer! We have always prided ourselves on the timeless quality of our products, and have been respectful of tradition, but we believe the quality of our brand-new stock, with beautiful new items arriving weekly, reflects the wants and aspirations of our customers, old and new,” said Mr Benson.

Geoffrey Benson and Co was founded in 1933 by Martin’s father, Geoffrey Merryweather Benson, and Martin grew up “on the upholsterers’ bench”.

“Furniture-making is in my blood. I started working for my father when I left school as a young teenager and I have never looked back. Our life was our shop in Petergate, where we built up a loyal and discerning clientele. It was a wrench when we had to move, but the pedestrianisation of Deangate made it impossible for us to stay.

“Luckily, I saw the old Hammerton Hotel in Green Hammerton – built in 1926 - was for sale and, attracted by its location, its spacious rooms and its striking design, I bought it in 1992. Within a year, we had won a prestigious design award from Harrogate District Council,” he said.

Martin Benson, who is supported by his dedicated team, including designer Nicola Thompson, believes that personal service, and attention to quality, has underpinned the success of his family business.

“We work alongside other family businesses like upholsterers and cabinet makers to create bespoke products our customers want. We offer an individual, often tailor-made, rather than run-of-the-mill, service. If customers want an item of furniture deeper, wider or in a different colour, we can oblige,” he explained. “We make anything you want.”

“The key to our furniture is elegance. We have an eclectic mix of individual and timeless furniture and upholstery, featuring British design at its best. We also like to go that extra mile for our customers, often literally, by offering free delivery across Yorkshire,” he added.

Geoffrey Benson and Co work very closely with designer Helen Wilson, based in the same Green Hammerton building, enabling the two businesses to offer the complete design package for their customers.

Helen Wilson said: “The synergy between our two businesses is perfect. Our customers can select from a wide range of fabrics, paint, wallpapers and soft furnishings, featuring household names such as Sanderson, Colefax and Fowler and Zoffany.

“We can provide anything from a few rolls of wallpaper to the full interior design package, depending on the needs and requirements of the customer,” she added.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .