Home is where the hearth is...

NOTHING says ‘welcome to my home’ more than the cosy focal point of a fireplace, be it a woodburning stove or a high-efficiency hole-in-thewall gas fire. Artisan Fireplaces has been advising people on how to make the perfect fireplace purchase for over 30 years. Established in 1986, the company works closely with their main UK suppliers, GDHV- Glen Dimplex, whose brands include Faber, Dimplex and Valor. Together they have expanded successfully through three major recessions and are still market leaders today. When it comes to choosing what will sit in the heart of your home, the top advice offered by Artisan is to be safe - safe in the knowledge that British manufacturers’ products are the best. Artisan Fireplaces is driven by its mission statement: ‘Customer service as it used to be, at unbeatable value and without compromise’, which has seen it maintain its status as one of the largest and most successful fireplace retailers in the UK. Backing up this claim is the collection of industry awards garnered over the past three decades, which are proudly displayed in the company’s reception area. Its showrooms, which house over 550 displays over three floors, offers virtually every fireplace type and style imaginable. Artisan’s founder Gary Heginbottom has more than 40 years’ experience sourcing, designing and manufacturing fireplaces. The new Artisan team headed by Sue Malthouse intend to maintain his meticulous attention to detail, focus on quality and customer care control systems long into the future. Sue said: “A fireplace is a long-term investment. It needs to be planned and carried out properly, giving the customer confidence that it will be fitted safely and to their complete satisfaction and, even more importantly, that someone will be there to support them with all their servicing and after-sale needs that are inevitable in its lifetime. The GDHV group’s enthusiasm around its partnership with Artisan has lead it to make a significant investment to create a flagship superstore housing its entire range of fires, fireplaces and stoves. Richard Beaman, sales director of Valor, said: Artisan was our obvious choice - it already has one of the country’s largest showrooms, passion for the product and excellent customer service. Valor, Faber and Dimplex are in safe hands and we look forward to a successful partnership.” In addition to all this, the company is planning to open a 34-seat cafe/ bar. This development, which will further enhance the Artisan shopping experience, marks another step in the company’s remarkable growth.