Top retail excellence award for United Carpets

Rotherham-based United Carpets plc is celebrating winning a top prize for retail excellence in the prestigious Interiors Monthly Awards 2011.

United Carpets – which is the UK’s largest franchised flooring company – was voted Best Flooring Retailer (3 + stores) in the awards, which are decided by the magazine’s readers. It was in good company, because other winners included Barker & Stonehouse and John Lewis.com.

The magazine said its winners all had two things in common – they are best at what they do, and are constantly trying to be better at what they do.

“What sets United Carpets apart from its rivals is its franchising operation,” said the magazine. “About 80 per cent of its 85 stores are run by franchisees ‘combining the advantages of a multiple retailer with the entrepreneurial drive of an independent’.

The magazine pointed to United’s strong recent performance, and said a key focus for the company recently has been to understand its customers better, giving franchisees valuable information on customer visits and spending patterns.

“The InnStock back office retail system has been introduced across the network and footfall counters have been installed in most stores,” the magazine said.

“This provides immediate benefits in terms of capturing additional customer information as well as analysis of employee sales performance, so franchisees can respond quickly to changes and opportunities. Footfall counters have also introduced a greater level of analysis of customer patterns.”

United Carpets chief executive Paul Eyre said the company was delighted to see its successful franchise model receiving such top-quality recognition, and thanked Interiors Monthly readers for their votes.

“We’ve built up our franchise model over 14 years, and we believe it offers huge potential benefits to both the company and the franchisees,” he said.

“We build constantly on our long-standing reputation for good value, quality products and excellent customer service, and we offer our franchisees the training and support that helps them keep us well ahead of the game.

“This award is a ringing endorsement of our business and a testament to the superb people who work with us – we’re recruiting new franchisees all the time, and we’ll continue to build upon our success.”

United Carpets posts level profits

18 July, 2011 | By George MacDonald

Could this be the store to make your fortune?

With selling space of around 10,000 sq ft and a prominent position in Walsgrave Road, we think this Coventry store is a hot prospect.

The franchisee who takes over the store will find it well stocked and already well-established – there’s been a carpet store in this location for some time, and people in the city know it well.

Franchise Recruitment Manager Paul Davies says: “One of the things we particularly like about the Walsgrave Road store is that there’s plenty of free parking for customers, so they have plenty of time to browse around without worrying about parking meters.

“As our Walsgrave Road franchisee, you will receive huge support from United Carpets and Beds – and as the biggest franchised carpet retailer in the UK, with 85 stores, we know what we’re talking about.

“We’ll give you targeted TV, press and radio advertising to pull customers into your store. We’ve an enhanced and incentivised package geared towards making additional marketing available to ensure the sales head north.

“And of course, because we have the purchasing power of a large company, we can help you offer your customers great deals so they’ll come back and back.

 “If you want to be your own boss, you can rest assured that our franchise model has been tried and tested over 13 years – and at Walsgrave Road, Coventry, you could put all that expertise to your own business and financial advantage."

You can keep up to date with our franchise news by following us on Twitter www.twitter.com/unitedfranchise, or search for us on Facebook.

Snap up a bargain business in Runcorn (29/06/11)

United Carpets and Beds are selling a number of store franchises – and one of those predicted to be most sought-after is Runcorn.

The 5,740 sq ft store (pictured) is well-established in the town’s busy Trident Retail Park, where it has been trading for over three years.

Because it shares the park with a number of other popular retailers including Curry’s, TK Maxx, JJB sports, Cinema etc, footfall at the store is good and the new owner of the franchise would be off to a solid start with the potential for an excellent turnover.

The well-stocked shop, open seven days a week for business, carries a wide range of carpets from hardwearing Berbers, stain resistant twists, sumptuous Saxonies and luxury wools, as well as ever-popular laminates and wood flooring.

Franchise Recruitment Manager Paul Davies says: “This store is raring to go – it’s already a fixture in the town with a great reputation for quality and good deals, and we believe it has the potential to do extremely well for the new franchisee.

“United Carpets have an incentivised package on offer for this store, including heavy, bespoke marketing support to make sure you get off to a great start.”

You can keep up to date with our franchise news by following us on Twitter @Unitedfranchise.

Why wood’s a real joy in the home (06/06/11)

The Victorians loved to show off their wooden floors with lovely rugs and plenty of floor polish – and these days, the wooden floor has been brought right up to date with a whole modern makeover.

We started seeing wooden floors really gaining in popularity about a decade ago, and they’ve gone from strength to strength since then.

It’s not hard to see why - today’s wooden floors, whether they’re laminate or solid wood, are both tough and good-looking.

United Carpets’ style editor Stephanie Middleton says: “They can withstand the rough and tumble of family life, including dogs’ claws, wheeled toys and spills, while adding a touch of minimalist chic to any room.

“Wooden floors can also help to make your room look more spacious. That’s because the planking effect draws the eye across the room smoothly and without interruption, showing off your pieces of furniture to good effect.”

Choosing lighter-coloured woods such as beech can help create an airy, bright feel to the room, while darker woods look sophisticated and work well with light-coloured walls.

Wooden floors have other advantages, too. If anyone in your family suffers from an allergy, wooden floors will help to cut down on dust particles – it’s now also possible to fit underfloor heating beneath wooden floors to keep your toes cosy.

Stephanie says: “Finally, what draws many people to wooden floors is their sheer versatility. You can change your room simply by investing in a new rug, while the floor goes on looking great for years.

“At United Carpets, we have a wide range of both solid wood floors and laminates to suit all pockets. They’re easy to fit, too – visit your nearest store to see the full range or take a look at the website www.unitedcarpetsandbeds.com.”

Where the grass really IS greener! (01/06/11)

We’ve all been loving the long, hot days of this spring – but now it’s summer, our gardens are paying the price.

Lack of rain has already turned our lush green lawns brown, and in parts of the country a hosepipe ban is a constant threat.

So it means that although – for once – we’ve got the weather to sit out in our gardens, our lawns are looking too tatty to enjoy!

There is a one solution, though, that can turn a hard concrete backyard into a carpet of green, or even make your balcony look like a proper garden in miniature.

It’s United Carpets’ new range of artificial grasses, which have been specially sourced on the Continent for their realistic looks, hardwearing nature and practical prices.

The grasses come in three kinds, ranging from the budget at just £9.99 per square meter to the more lavish at £24.99 and finally the deluxe version, which is £29.99

“It’s incredibly simple to put down,” said Stephanie Middleton, style editor for United Carpets, which is the biggest franchised carpeting retailer in the country, with 86 stores around the country. “You can buy it ready-rolled in our stores in 1.8m x 1.33m lengths, or you can order it in bigger sizes as a special order, delivered the same week.

“On concrete, you can glue it down, and on decking it can be nailed – or you can just leave it loose so you can take it up in the winter.”

The grass is also available – like carpet – in lengths cut to your specifications. You can even lay it where you currently have your brown lawn and forget about mowing forever, although that requires a bit more preparation work.

“We’re anticipating a real demand for artificial grass over the summer,” said Stephanie. “It’s already extremely popular in other European countries where they have low rainfall, because it never fades in the sun and it never needs to be watered.

“Even your dog can’t make brown patches on this lush lawn!” And there’s even evidence that some customers aren’t just using the grass outside.

“We’ve heard of people with footie fan kids who have turned their bedrooms into a pitch,” said Stephanie.  “Now, that’s inventive!”

Bright Flooring trend (28/10/10)

The latest look for our homes is X-factor flooring

Bold primary colours are big news in interiors at the moment. If you're ready to make a new statement in your home but fancy something different to the popular feature wall, how about focusing the colour on your flooring instead?

Bold coverings work well with neutral walls and dark furniture in either a modern or classic scheme. How about rolling out the red carpet to create a striking welcome in your hallway?

Give life to your carpet! (5/7/10)

Vacuuming your carpet regularly can help prolong your floorings life span. By preventing a build-up of dirt and debris you can protect your carpet fibres and lengthen the life of your carpet! At United Carpets we have a huge choice of quality hardwearing carpets that are guaranteed to stand the test of time. Check out www.unitedcarpetsandbeds.com for more details!

Space at a Premium? (28/6/10)

Does a summer clearout seem to leave you with more clutter than you started with? In many homes space comes at premium and the one area always lacking is storage! All of United Beds Divans are available with 4 extra deep draws ideal for storing away spare pillows and duvets as well as clothes and shoes.

If you want a bed with masses of storage then look no further than the Bali Ottoman, not only is it modern and stylish its also practical. With more then 4 times the storage space of a conventional divan.  Head online www.unitedbeds.com and find your dream storage bed.

Too Hot for Bed (23/6/10)

As the nation struggles to stay cool during our long hot British summer, falling asleep and staying asleep can be a challenge to test anyone. United Beds have the answer with the Coolmax and Smartcell divan’s not only do they benefit from visco-elastic technology which contours to your individual shape but the clever micro cell technology responds to body temperature to ensure a cool restful nights sleep. These divans come complete with modern suede or chenille bases available in 9 shades.

Your "60 Minute Makeover" (28/4/10)

Do you love watching home make over shows and dream of doing your very own “60 minute makeover?” At United Carpets and Beds we have one of the widest varieties of carpets on the market with styles and budgets to suit all. Why not brighten up your bedroom with the bold and modern Funky Lines carpet or add warmth and depth with the luxurious Moonshadow carpet.

With a large range of beds available to buy in store or online today you can complete your new look at the click of a button. If you don’t want to comprise on style and practicality our modern Bali Ottoman bed has 4 times the storage space of a standard divan bed, simply lift up the base of the bed to reveal the large storage cavity. Ideal for storing bedding, clothes or anything else you want hidden out of sight.

http://www.itv.com/60minutemakeover/

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CARPET FOR YOU! (7/04/10)

Hopefully this interesting article at The Carpet Information Centre will help you make the right carpet decision, http://carpetinfo.co.uk/choosing_carpet/choosing_carpet.htm

THE TRUTH ABOUT UNDERLAY (25/02/10)

What lies beneath the Hessian backing of your new carpet is often forgotten, but the foundation of the flooring is perhaps the most important part. The value of a good underlay is all too often underestimated. Only sad individuals like us take an interest in carpets and that goes for underlay. The only time ‘non-carpet workers’ think about carpet underlay is when they are buying a new carpet – so if your in the market let us teach you what we know.

What is carpet underlay?

Underlay is what makes carpets feel all soft and spongy under your feet, it’s basically a layer of material laid directly onto your floor before your carpet is laid on top. There are a few good reasons why underlay is recommended when buying a new carpet, here are the top few:

Insulation

The extra layer you add to your floor will help trap heat in your home and help dull sound so rooms aren’t as loud, that’s two great benefits in one.

Comfort

Underlay makes a massive difference to a carpet’s comfort, a carpet by itself is not a very comfortable floor covering – but with a nice thick underlay hidden beneath you’ll find yourself debating floor or bed at night time?

Lifetime

The main purpose of underlay is to protect your carpet – the sponginess that makes your carpet so comfy actually adds years to the lifespan of your carpet, its helps the fibres bounce back to their original state after it has had people walking over it and furniture placed on it. Ever noticed when you move a chair or table that it leaves an imprint – underlay will help the carpet return to its original state.

So there you have it, some great reasons as to why carpet underlay is so important.

Colour – What’s right for you? (6/02/10)

Choosing your new carpet can be a big decision. Choose the wrong one and you may end up avoiding your newly carpeted room at all costs, when buying a carpet you need to remember you are making a purchase which has to last. One of the biggest factors to consider is colour, will the colour match your existing furniture or will it clash horribly with that new red leather sofa you just had to have.

Pale carpets remain a popular choice as they really brighten up a room that doesn’t benefit from a good source of natural light, paler carpets can also make a small room seem much larger. When thinking about creams, whites and ivory carpets there are some things to consider, children and pets do not share the same pride you do for your new flooring, pale carpets are notorious for showing dirt that builds up from everyday living and aren’t always the best choice for an area which gets a lot of foot traffic. The benefit of pale carpets is that they match EVERYTHING; they are neutral, classy and always a stylish choice. 

Dark Natural Colours are really fashionable at the minute and they are a real winner if you have children or pets, browns, greys and dark heather colours are marvellous at hiding a multitude of sins and let you go longer between vacuuming and carpet cleaning. Dark naturals go great with pale rooms, creams and browns blend well together, as do whites and greys. Dark carpets are a great way of making a fashionable statement but benefiting from ‘piles’ of practicality.

Bright Colours, to really inject life into a room there is now better and bolder way than to use a bright colour on your floor, reds, blues and purples are very much the in colours at the minute, ‘red was very much the feature colour in this years Celebrity Big Brother house’ – bright colours are normally best left for modern style homes and decors and it is important to really fall in love with the colour before having it fitted as you can grow tired of these colours much easier than natural shades.

United Carpets have many different colours from subtle tonal creams, to deep chocolate shades all the way through to hot pink twists and candy stripped Berbers, we know we have something for everything so please browse through our online roll stock products or visit a store to see our full bespoke products and remnants area.