Here you can learn more about Blakemore and Chell...

 History

The company has been known as Blakemore and Chell since 1903, when messrs Blakemore and Chell purchased a well establised ironmongery shop situated at 3 Sheepmarket, Leek, Staffordshire.  Founded circa 1844 and formerly known as Cartwrights, the business sold all manner of ironmongery and hardware, and like many other ironmongers of the period, also sold agricultural equipment.

The company changed hands in the early 1960's and became a limited company in the process.  The new owners began to rapidly expand the business, and purchased a new and much larger property at New Street Leek.  A former textile mill known as Ariel Mill, the New Street site became the head office and main trading premises of the company.  With a large yard, showrooms and offices, this site enabled the company to benefit from the boom years in agriculture, fuelled by strong sales of ever more sophisticated agricultural equipment. 

The business also began to diversify, and established a strong name locally for sales, repair and service of cast iron range cookers, stoves and central heating.  Along with the ironmongery, garden machinery and other non-agricultural sales, this diversity enabled the company to weather the BSE crisis and the succession of issues that have continued to challenge the agricultural community over the past 20 years. 

Still operating from the Ariel Mill site in Leek, the company was purchased by the present management in April 2004.  The present owners aim to further develop the business and in particular strengthen the heating department.  The resulting inward investment has already provided improved facilities and equipment and enabled recruitment of more engineers and key personnel.

In October 2004, work was completed on phase 1 of a new heating showroom, including a Rayburn Studio and comprehensive display of stoves and range cookers. Further improvements to the site and facilities are on-going.

Present

 The company now has four main areas of operation; agricultural machinery, range cookers and heating, garden machinery and stores, offerign a full range of leading brands including, Aga Rayburn, Stanley, Honda and Lawnflite. In addition to sales of these products, we offer a comprehensive service and repair facility covering agricultural, heating and garden machinery and currently employ eight fully qualified engineers within these different sectors.

Much of our service and repair work is carried out at customers premises, however for portable items like mowers and garden machinery we offer a free collection and delivery service within a reasonable radius of our base.

We aim to offer a one stop destination and our huge on-site stock includes many obscure and unusual items rarely found elsewhere!