Flooring the competition: Karpet Mills

Established in 1878, initially as a furniture maker that branched into carpets and flooring, Karpet Mills has showrooms across the region.

But despite its impending 150-year anniversary, director Joel Dickinson, the sixth generation of the family to oversee the company, says it isn’t resting on its laurels.

He says: “We’re edging closer to the big landmark, and it will be exciting.

“But I want to make sure the business is running properly, rather than taking my eye off the ball.”

The company has sailed through recent choppy waters and battled inflation and housing sector difficulties that have seen off some big flooring retailers.

And as the busy Christmas period and 2025 approaches, Joel is in optimistic mood.

“It looks like an exciting year ahead,” he says, speaking from Karpet Mills’ Hexham head office.

He adds: “We’ve had an incredible 2024, given the headwinds in the wider economy; it really has been a case of survival of the fittest.

“Our big customer base, from our history, has really paid dividends in terms of our figures and market position.

“And I’m looking to really make sure we remain as competitive as we can in 2025; over the last two or three years we’ve been investing an awful lot of energy and focus on sourcing high volumes of the best products to navigate through the difficulties.

“We’ve got this real foundation of core products; nobody can buy them better than we can, and we pass those savings to customers.

“That’s been one of the biggest driving forces behind the success we’ve had, and that’s definitely going to continue growing in 2025 when we’ve got some very exciting projects already in the programme.

“And I’m very much an advocate of the positive stuff happening in the North East too.

“I’m North East born and bred, and when you see what we have to offer, it’s great for the whole region.

“With hard work, determination, well-trained staff and the people we’ve got in the North East, there should be a lot of positivity for the future.”

As well as customers looking to improve their homes, Karpet Mills has a large commercial division that deals with hotels, local authority buildings, dental surgeries, care homes, schools, churches and offices.

And while it has evolved since John Dickinson opened its first store, the business’ core ethics, says Joel, will never change.

He says: “We know how the North of England works and what customers want, and we offer an old fashioned service, with the best pricing and showrooms to suit the modern day.

“We respect each and every customer in what they want and need, and give them the right advice for each project, rather than giving a quick answer that suits the bottom line.

“We have plenty of experience, and that is translated into how we train our staff and the ethos throughout the business.

“We focus on making sure we get people the right products, whether they be shorter or medium-term solutions, or something that’s going to last them a lifetime.

“We give them information, let them make a choice and try to guide them in the right way so they’ll be happy long-term – and come back to us.

“We’re seeing a lot more customers changing the decor and styles in rooms on a much more regular basis; people want to follow the latest in vogue designs, fashions and colours, and are prepared to spend a little bit less.

“The pace of life is faster now and, as a business, we’ve reacted to that.

“The fact we’ve managed to evolve, grow and move with the times and climate has got us to where we are.

“And those fundamentals will never change.”