Conserving the memories of the 90s

The 90s, the launch of your favourite search engine (Google), the decade which saw the Marathon bar renamed Snickers (1990), and the release of some much loved family favourites including The Simpsons, Toy Story, and Harry Potter. Our latest feature in the press also celebrates Oasis and Blur. One of our business' core memories from this decade was the debut of conservatories in our portfolio. Our conservatories were particularly appealing for those in the market for this home development because unlike off-the-shelf style fixed conservatories from DIY centres, ours could be made bespoke. To add to that, in the words of current Joint Managing Director, Chris Dowling:

“It was the first time people could get an affordable extension, with planning that was simple.”

As one of our press releases from 1996 states, new technology also made the experience of selecting and designing a conservatory even greater. Thanks to computer developments at the time, conservatory buyers would get added reassurance that their new addition would suit their home before making the commitment.

"With our advanced equipment we can now take a photograph of a house and add a conservatory to the print showing the customer exactly what they are going to get."

Our capabilities in everything conservatory related led us to building one of the largest conservatories in the Highlands at Lorimers (arguably one of Inverness' favourite fish and chips restaurants). It still stands today. Nearing the end of the 90s, we geared up for further expansion, as Chris says:      

“Our big shift towards the late 1990s was when we started to get plans in place for our new premises”

After purchasing land in 1998, we were setting ourselves up for more business in the 00s, but we also appealed to our more northerly customer base after opening our showroom in Thurso. To top off the 90s, we saw ourselves gaining a number of recognitions in terms of quality management. That included becoming holders of the British Standards Award for our installation techniques. We also won the Highland Business of the Year award in 1992! Former Managing Director, David Dowling was snapped as he was presented with the certificate of registration to the British Standards Institue. You can read more about this particular moment in the 90s here.

Last call for funding applications!

Did you know funding applications remain open until the 31st August 2023? If you are an organisation/group based in the Highlands, Moray or Grampian, you may be a good match to receive a grant of up to £1000 for your project. Find out more here.