Leading home lifestyle store reveals new management team

An iconic lifestyle store has a new look management team as it starts work on a range of exciting new developments.

Bell of Northampton has welcomed Jamie Bedford as its new Kitchen, Bathroom and Tiles Manager and has made several significant in-house promotions to draw on the decades of experience in its existing team.

Dave Richardson, who has worked for Bell for 24 years, has recently joined its board of directors. Responsible for Bell’s logistics and the contracts side of its business – which generates 25% of its annual income – Dave had previously been one of the firm’s associate directors.

Richard Kingston has also stepped up to become a departmental director for its popular fires, stoves and outdoor living ranges. In addition, Richard is responsible for Bell’s e-commerce stream which accounts for a further quarter of the firm’s revenue.

The management team is completed by managing director Lee Ferris, Calor Gas director Zen Hynda, who also oversees outdoor living with Richard, financial director Michael Barton and installation manager Mark Simmonds.

Managing director Lee Ferris said: “We’re thrilled to have promoted Dave and Richard who have both played huge roles in Bell’s success over the years.

“We were also delighted to have welcomed Jamie who had already built up an impressive career in retail management with a major national retailer before joining our team.”

All this comes at a time when Bell is working on several major projects which will further enhance its offering.

This month one of its concessions, CCE Landscaping, is starting to create an exciting new display area for customers next to Bell’s rear car park. It will feature items from CCE’s popular landscaping and outdoor ranges, including garden rooms and artificial grass.

Bell also plans to unveil a new Contract Specifications Suite for its commercial customers later this month. The suite will enable builders, property developers and architects to choose from Bell’s range of commercial fixtures and fittings for new developments across southern and central England.

The store is also halfway through a major project to renovate its iconic 100-year-old Northern Lights roof and is investing in a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to further improve the growing e-commerce side of its business.

Lee explained: “Our online offering has been incredibly successful in the past few years and this sophisticated system will help us to continue to grow this part of our business.

“This new system combined with our new Contracts Specification Suite, the new outdoor display area and our new management team means we’re embarking on another exciting year in Bell’s history.”

Bell of Northampton is located in Kingsthorpe Road, Northampton. To find out more, go to www.abell.co.uk.