People’s Champion finalist 2018: Camperdown Lane

Start-up name: Camperdown Lane
Founders: Michelle Nugent, Kate Hollingsworth, Sarah Nugent
Started in: May 2016
Based in: Hereford
Business description: Homeware business which helps other families sculpt their nests

Shortlisted category:

Family Business of the Year

The Camperdown Lane story

The term ‘family business’ has seldom seemed more appropriate than in this case.

Camperdown Lane, ran by three sisters in tandem with their mother, has carved an elegant niche in the homewear space, helping other families build their elegant nests.

Nestled in the middle of Hereford, a cathedral city famous for its farms and bucolic greenery, Camperdown Lane fits snugly into its surroundings. The business specialises in furniture, lighting, soft furnishings and smaller homewares; everything, the founders say, is “family first.”

For founders Michelle Nugent, Sarah Nugent and Kate Hollingsworth, the vision for the business was kindled by their mum’s gift for interior design, and their mum still acts as mentor, manager and retail assistant. Any time there’s a debate about a key decision, two of the three sisters have to agree.

The business has certainly stayed true to its homespun roots.

The sisters pride themselves on carefully selecting their products and running a calming, sensory shop that wraps customers up in its velvety warmth.

Yet they remain at the sharp end of modern design trends and sell through a variety of channels, while embracing modern sales techniques such as pop-up collaborations.

Two years on from launch, the business has raced past £200,000 turnover and has become a favourite in Hereford and the surrounding towns, where people have abandoned the high street in favour of intimate boutiques. Buoyed by this success, the sisters say they are planning to expand into new physical locations and considering an expansion into independent stores.

But one senses that, no matter how big the business grows, it’ll retain the rustic snuggliness that has taken it this far.

Why Camperdown Lane made our shortlist:

A quintessentially local operation, Camperdown Lane’s philosophy is laced with the snug tranquility of its surroundings.

In terms of both attitude and personnel, it’s the perfect family business, yet it’s also perfectly in-step with modern trends. No wonder its persuading the people of Hereford to abandon the high-street giants.

Where to find out more about Camperdown Lane:

Website: www.camperdownlane.com
Twitter: @camperdown_lane