Rossendale business celebrates 150-year milestone by opening new trade outlet

An artist's impression of the new facility

One of Rossendale’s largest employers is celebrating 150 years in business by investing in a £750,000 new one stop trade shop.

After six months of negotiation, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom manufacturer J&J Ormerod (JJO), which has bases across Rossendale, has bought the former Jacobson Group works off Bacup Road, Rawtenstall.

The steel structure of the semi-derelict office building will be retained, but the premises will be completely remodelled from its concrete base upwards, once asbestos cladding has been properly disposed of.

Marshall House, named after long-term director of JJO, Kenneth Marshall who has been diagnosed with cancer, is scheduled to open in the autumn.

Joint managing director, Stephen Greenhalgh, said: “This development will put JJO on the map and it will give us a very visible street presence on one of the main roads through Rossendale.

“Our trade department has been based at our showrooms at Rossendale Interiors on Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, but that has not been ideal.

“Parking is difficult in that area and customers have to travel the length of the valley to access the facility on main roads that are regularly subject to delays.”

Not only will the new development be a bonus for trade customers, staff will also be relocated into more suitable offices with better facilities for meeting clients.

Sales and contracts manager, Patrick Wilkinson, said: “We will have a showroom window display and we are looking to put in a mezzanine floor to accommodate a larger showroom inside.

“We will have a trade counter for people to come in and order kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms and component parts, which are currently distributed from a couple of sites.

“Everything for the trade customer will be in one central location, which is easier to access than trekking across the valley.”

He added: “It is a massive investment for JJO and it will give us a street presence.

“At the moment some people don’t realise that we are also a trade outlet.”

In 2015 the company bought Victoria Works, in the same vicinity as the new trade showroom, which is home to the company’s bathroom department.

Mr Greenhalgh added: “Had we not already bought Victoria Works, I don’t think we would have looked at this building, but having that site so close by means that we already have the transport and management in place for this development.

“The new premises will also provide a base for our own collection and dispatch service.”

Additional car parking for employees of Victoria Works will be created on site along with customer parking.

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