Around 30 companies in the South West have been awarded a Royal Warrant by the Queen - a mark of recognition given to the businesses that supply her with goods and services.
The concept of the Royal Warrant of Appointment dates back to the advent of the monarchy. The king and his court had to be provided for and, not surprisingly, had first call on the services of the best in the land.
By the 15th century, royal tradesmen were formally appointed in writing by means of a Royal Warrant issued by the Lord Chamberlain, a practice which continues to this day.
There are fewer than 850 Royal Warrants worldwide and are viewed by many as the ultimate seal of approval. Companies with a Royal Warrant are businesses that have had an ongoing trading relationship with the Queen for at least five years.
The firms represent a huge cross-section of industry - from individual craftspeople to global corporations.
From a candle maker to tailor, horse forage to royal carriage builder - here are some of the Queen’s favourite businesses in the South West.
A J CHARLTON & SONS
Timber merchants and manufacturers of timber gates
Buckland Down, Somerset
The manufacturer of timber products, fencing and gates celebrates its 120th birthday next year.
Granted the Queen’s Royal Warrant in 2000, it has supplied the Royal households for more than 25 years. Its products can be seen at many National Trust properties, the National Arboretum at Westonbirt and Longleat Safari Park.
ALLEN & FOXWORTHY
Scaffolding contractor
Swindon, Wiltshire
Established more than 20 years ago, the firm offers scaffolding, temporary roofing and access solutions across southern England and Wales. Its specialist works division covers the construction of scaffolding around buildings of historic importance, such as palaces, monuments and castles.
AXMINSTER CARPETS
Carpet manufacturer
Axminster, Devon
Axminster Carpets has been supplying world-renowned luxury wool carpets to the royal household since the time of King George III. It is still using traditional methods to weave wool carpets in the Devon market town.
CHANNEL FISHERIES
Fresh fish merchants
Paignton, Devon
Founded in 1981 out of the port of Brixham in South Devon, Channel Fisheries source British sea fish from the small day-boat fleet. It was granted its Royal Warrant in 2006 as fresh fish supplier to H.M Queen Elizabeth II.
CHARLES FARRIS
Chandlers
Mere, Wiltshire
Founded in Bishopsgate, London, in 1845, the company has manufactured church candles for more than 175 years. Manufacturer continues from its factory in Mere, Wiltshire, and now has scented and dining candle in its product range.
ENIDVALE LIMITED T/A B.K. GRAIN HANDLING ENGINEERS
Agricultural engineers - specialists in grain handling
Froxfield, Wiltshire
Specialists in grain handling, milling equipment, steel-framed buildings and fabrication, the business offers a complete building package from the planning application stage to inception alongside electrical, mechanical and breakdown services.
GP & J BAKER
Suppliers of furnishing fabrics and wallcoverings
Poole, Dorset
GP & J Baker, holder of the Royal Warrant since 1982, has an international reputation for its fabrics, wallcoverings and trimmings. It has a showroom in Chelsea Harbour’s Design Centre and produces luxury fabrics, wallpapers and accessories under licence for Mulberry Home. It also has a showroom in the ‘Design Street’ of Paris, Rue du Mail.
HOLY WELL GLASS
Stained glass conservators
Wells, Somerset
A family-run stained glass conservation studio set up by Steve Clare in 1995. Holy Well Glass carries out works to great cathedrals, churches and country houses in the UK and beyond.
HUGH TODD
Animal pregnancy scanning
Marlborough, Wiltshire
INTEGRITY FARRIERS
Remedial farrier
Sandhurst, Gloucester
J.W. WALKER & SONS
Pipe organ tuners and builders
Devizes, Wiltshire
Founded by Joseph William Walker in 1828 in Soho, London, the business continues to thrive under a team based in Devizes since 2016. The specialist firm conserves and restores organs as well as building new ones used around the world.
KNIGHTS TAILORING
Tailors
Tidworth, Wiltshire
Founded by Army veteran Jonathan Knight in 2007. He served with the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery for 22 years with 15 spent as the unique ceremonial unit’s master tailor. Initially just to serve the military, the company which started in his spare bedroom has expanded over the years to tailor uniforms for regiments countrywide as well providing tailoring, embroidery and printing services to corporate clients and individuals.
LISTER SHEARING EQUIPMENT
Manufacturers of animal care products
Stonehouse, Gloucestershire
Lister has manufactured world-leading shearing and clipping equipment for more than 100 years. Made in Britain, Lister products are designed and manufactured in Gloucestershire and sold worldwide.
M.M.T. SERVICES
Dairy equipment maintenance
Grittenham, Wiltshire
M.M.T. Services installs and services milking equipment, robotic milking equipment and milk cooling products. It supplies dairy accessories and chemicals to dairy farmers around Swindon in Wiltshire.
MARK WESTAWAY & SON
Manufacturers of horse forage
Marldon, Paignton
The original producers of the dust-free forage, HorseHage, sold nationwide and in Europe. It was awarded a Royal Warrant in 1983 after the Queen’s horse, Burmese, was fed HorseHage when suffering a respiratory problem.
It is also the official supplier of dust-free forage to The British Equestrian Team and has been supplied to the British Equestrian Teams at every Olympic Games since Los Angeles in 1984.
MELCOURT INDUSTRIES
Supplier of horticultural products
Tetbury, Gloucestershire
The UK’s leading supplier of peat-free growing media, mulches, soil improvers, play and equestrian surfaces. It was awarded the Royal Warrant in April 2022 after supplying the Queen for more than six years. Melcourt was established in 1983, supplying bulk loose loads of bark mulch to local authorities and landscape contractors. Now it also supplies market-leading peat-free composts to garden centres, builders’ merchants and professional growers.
MI HUB LTD. T/A ALEXANDRA
Supplier of corporate uniforms and workwear
Thornbury, Bristol
Alexandra is a leading international provider of men's and women's workwear with more than 160 years of experience. Alexandra, as it is now known, was established in Bristol as a drapery shop during the 1850s by Alfred Isaac Davis, selling fabrics and household linens. Now, it supplies workwear and uniform to almost every sector in the UK. range of customers from many industries across Europe.
MIKE ROWLAND
Wheelwrights and coachbuilders
Colyton, Devon
With generations of knowledge and skill, Mike Rowland repairs, restores and makes all types of wooden wheels, from state coaches to motor cars, even wheelbarrows and bikes. It also specialises in cannon and gun carriage restoration and is a specialist traditional coachbuilder.
PACKEXE
Manufacturer of self-adhesive protection film
Exeter, Devon
Chief Executive Andrew Orchard established Packexe in 1989 and has supplied the Royal Household since 2008 with self-adhesive protection film. Packexe has an extensive knowledge of protective film and supplies industries globally.
ROYAL BRIERLEY CRYSTAL - A DIVISION OF DARTINGTON CRYSTAL (TORRINGTON)
Suppliers of crystal table glassware
Torrington, Devon
Established in 1776, Royal Brierley Crystal is one of the oldest names in British glassware. Today, as part of Dartington Crystal, Royal Brierley products are still hand-crafted in England by skilled glass makers. It supplies cut crystal for the home, tabletop and specialist business gifts.
SEVERN & WYE SMOKERY
Fish curer and smokery
Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire
Severn & Wye Smokery was founded in 1989 by Richard Cook and is renowned for its smoked salmon and cured fish. The smokery is situated between two salmon rivers on the edge of the Royal Forest of Dean.
SFM TECHNOLOGY
Bespoke manufacturer of horticultural equipment
Martock, Somerset
SFM Technology produced its first apple-harvesting machine in 1985. Since then the company has grown steadily and developed into one of the world’s leading, specialist designers and manufacturers of fruit harvesting machinery.
SHERWOOD TINNING
Tinners
Wimborne, Dorset
Sherwood Tinning is a well-established tinning company specialising in relining and refurbishment of copper utensils, brass cleaning and polishing, historical handwiped tinning, of steel mixing bowls, copper brass polishing and copper pots and pans retinning.
SHIPTON MILL
Flour miller
Tetbury, Gloucestershire
For more than 900 years a mill has stood on the banks of the River Avon, with each generation producing flour in a time-honoured way. Today, the stoneground flours that now bear the historic name of Shipton Mill are ground with traditional French Burr millstones, just as they would have been in mediaeval times.
SNUGGY HOODS
Supplier of horse clothing
Trowbridge, Wiltshire
Snuggy Hoods was founded more than 20 years ago. Now a thriving global company, it leads the market in providing horse ‘coverage’ to not only promote wellbeing but also to make day-to-day management easier for horse owners.
TARRANT REFRIGERATION & AIR CONDITIONING
Dairy product refrigeration
Marlborough, Wiltshire
A refrigeration and air-conditioning engineering company that specialises in milk product refrigeration; cold rooms, including game larders, wine cellars, butchers, mortuary and dairy cold rooms; commercial air-conditioning and heat pumps; and worldwide internet cloud-based remote monitoring (telemetry) systems.
THE HILL BRUSH COMPANY
Manufacturers of brushware
Mere, Wiltshire
Hillbrush was established in 1922 by brothers Fred and Bill Coward. This family-owned and run business has become the largest UK-based manufacturer of brushware and hygienic cleaning tools.
WATKINS & WATSON
Organ blower manufacturers
Poole, Dorset
The firm’s specialist engineers carry out repairs and servicing on all types of organ blowing and humidification equipment across the country. It manufactures and installs new machines, supplies reconditioned equipment, carries out overhauls and relocates equipment.
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