Wilkins still sweeping up
Newbury firm celebrates anniversary by releasing eBook of its history
WILKINS Chimney Sweep, founded by Tom Wilkins from Newbury in 1895, is celebrating 10 years as a franchise operation, by releasing a commemorative eBook.
Full of historic photos, facts, figures and funny stories, the eBook has been designed to highlight the company’s journey to franchising success over the last 10 years.
Keeping true to its roots, the company still has a chimney sweep in West Berkshire, Jon McDougall, who covers from Newbury to Marlborough and Didcot to Amesbury.
Wilkins currently has 18 franchise owners covering 29 territories in 27 vans across the United Kingdom.
In 2021 it hit record trading figures and received more than 10,000 five-star reviews on TrustPilot.
It is also the only chimney sweeping operation that is a member of the British Franchise Association.
The business was franchised under the ownership
of Louise and Peter Harris in 2011.
In 2018, Darren Taylor purchased the business, bringing it into the Taylor Made Franchising group alongside Stumpbusters, PVC Vendo, Thomas Cleaning Franchise and Iconic Window Cleaning.
David Callister, franchise director at Taylor Made Franchising, said: “As a business with such a long history, Wilkins Chimney Sweep is doing incredibly well, seeing significant growth despite Covid.
“We have recently welcomed three new franchisees to the network and are expecting a third more vans on the road this year than in 2020; not bad for a company who used to deliver their services by bike around Newbury over 126 years ago.”
He continued: “Working with the team at Wilkins Chimney Sweep is an absolute joy; they are such an incredibly positive, supportive network of franchisees, that it is a pleasure to be able to celebrate this, their 10th anniversary with them, and to share their history in this fun and we hope, informative e-book.”
Wilkins Chimney Sweep is run on a day-to-day basis by franchise manager Lisa Kimber and operations manager Richard Bryan.
Ms Kimber said: “I count myself as very lucky to work with the guys at Wilkins Chimney Sweep.
“Our franchisees come from extremely varied backgrounds, from gym owners to chartered surveyors and from lorry drivers to policemen, but they all have one thing in common, they all wanted to regain control of their lives, spend more time with their families and be in charge of their own diaries.
“Our franchisees may be sooty at the end of the day but ultimately, they’re happy. ”
The eBook can be viewed at: https://www.franchisechimneysweep.co.uk/ebook