The jeweller, the baker, the bicycle maker
CRAFTSMANSHIP names an enduring, basic human impulse, the desire to do a job well for its own sake,’ wrote the American sociologist Prof Richard Sennett in his book The Craftsman. Artisan producers of quality British-made wares will no doubt agree and so, too, will countless consumers, many of whom are weary of the cheap, mass-produced, throwaway culture that began to ramp up several decades ago, when imports from far-flung lands started flooding Britain’s shores—and still do.
Nowadays, British-made products are fighting back, with ever more purchasers willing to meet a higher price tag to buy into quality, character, craftsmanship and longevity, not to mention eco-friendliness and a lower carbon footprint.
Pashley has made bicycles in Britain for almost a century and is only one of the 66 great British companies profiled here. As brand manager Chlöe Williams says: ‘We are a nation with such a glorious wealth of heritage and that shouldn’t be underestimated or forgotten. It is part of our make up that adds to our uniqueness. It is important to look to our own and, where there is opportunity, invest our wealth where we live.’
1) Bicycles
Pashley, founded in 1926 by William ‘Rath’ Pashley, is Britain’s longest established bicycle maker and one of only three such firms remaining in the UK. ‘Manufacturer of every type of bicycle’ claimed the 1920s slogan—and the same is true today, with 160 models made by a 40-strong workforce in Stratford-upon-Avon in the West Midlands (a stone’s throw from Coventry, once the Mecca for makers). ‘Pashley cycles, particularly our classic loop-frame bicycles with large wicker baskets, have a timeless identity that stems from our 95 years making them,’ says Chlöe Williams. Pashley also produces hire bikes for TfL London and the annual Pashley Picnic Ride is a treat for customers.
01789 292263; www. pashley.co.uk
2) Carafes
Petra Palumbo’s belief in enjoying long-term connections with the objects in our lives prompted her to launch a sustainable homewares brand in 2019. From the get-go, the former Chelsea College of Arts student was inundated with orders for what has since become her signature product: hand-painted glass carafe and tumbler sets. ‘They’re nostalgic with a modern twist and a simple solution to reducing plastic waste,’ believes Miss Palumbo. ‘They look lovely by the bedside or on a desk and there’s a design for everyone.’ Soon, they will grace the displays of the new Petra Palumbo flagship store (opening in October) in Beauly, Scotland, alongside myriad other tempting treats, from candles to ceramics.
3) Peppermint
A pack of peppermint bullseyes brought back from America nearly three decades ago sparked Summerdown’s founder, Sir Michael Colman (of mustard fame), to revive a taste and scent that had been long lost. Cultivating some cuttings of Black Mitcham peppermint (once native to England) on Summerdown’s soil, the tricky herb eventually thrived and is now used in own-brand teas, skin products, candles, diffusers and chocolates. ‘There is nothing like our Black Mitcham peppermint for taste and aroma,’ believes Sir Michael’s grandson Jo Colman, head of sales, whose first job, aged 12, was as an unofficial chocolate taste tester. ‘We’re the only UK mint-chocolate producer to grow our own peppermint.’
01256 780252; www.summerdownmint.com
4) Alcohol-free spirit
Feragaia, Scotland’s first alcohol-free spirit, hails from the East Neuk of Fife and, with its citrus, herbaceous and warming tones, evokes thoughts of the epic and often wild landscapes of its home country. Perfect for those who eschew alcohol or have drawn the short straw and have to drive, the brand was developed by friends Jamie Wild (also a sculptor) and Bill Garnock, who have a decade’s worth of selling premium spirits between them. Mr Wild comments: ‘We use no alcohol in the distilling, which is almost unique. Our intention is originality with a little mystery. This is for drinks explorers searching for something more.’ Sit back, enjoy and be transported—and do try the cocktail recipes developed by the Fife Arms.
5) Pencils
With barrels available in round, hexagonal, triangular or square, in a rainbow of colours or with coated ends, Chambers’s pencils are clearly multifarious, as well as manufactured in Nottinghamshire by a staff of six. ‘We currently have many luxury stationery customers and they really like a dipped-end pencil with foil blocking,’ notes managing director Tim Chambers of a particularly popular product. Today, Chambers sells 2.5 million made-to-order pencils each year; rather more than it did a century ago, when the firm was founded by Mr Chambers’s great-grandfather Frederick, who feared the First World War would scupper imports and
