Scott Grant, a Sunderland-based upholsterer, decided to set up his own business and workshop after honing his craft for 24 years at established furniture maker, George Smith. NEN member, North East BIC provides start-up support and encourages entrepreneurs at various stages of their careers to take their own leap of faith.
Scott Grant, a Sunderland-based upholsterer, decided to set up his own business and workshop after honing his craft for 24 years at established furniture maker, George Smith. NEN member, North East BIC provides start-up support and encourages entrepreneurs at various stages of their careers to take their own leap of faith.
Grants of Durham was launched in June 2022, specialising in bespoke furniture upholstery and restoration for both residential and commercial projects. He works closely with interior designers to recondition antique and vintage furniture, as well as upholster new and bespoke pieces for bars, restaurants and hotels.
Scott said: “My dad was an upholstery cutter at George Smith and got me an apprenticeship there when I was 17. I worked there for more than two decades creating luxury handcrafted pieces before moving to another local furniture company.
“Last year I decided it was time to branch out on my own and start my own business, as I had some great connections with designers working on exciting interior projects.
“Things got carried away working from my garage at home, so I recently moved into a unit in Washington to have a dedicated workshop for my upholstery work.”
Currently, Scott works alone but he plans to take on an apprentice in the near future to help with the growing demand of his business.
“I think upholstery is a dying art, so it would be great to teach an apprentice and give someone the same opportunity I had to learn this fantastic craft,” said Scott.
Scott contacted the BIC early last year to find out what support was on offer, and he was able to access free workshops and one-to-one advice to help him get started.
He added: “I was a complete novice in starting a business and came into it completely blind, so it was great to have the support of the BIC.
“I attended a number of their Flying Start workshops, which taught me everything from how to promote my business on social media to the financial side of things. The support has been invaluable.”
Janice Marsh, business adviser at the BIC, said: “We were delighted to support Scott in starting up his upholstery business. His passion and years of experience in the industry is the perfect example of how you can start your own business at any stage in your career.”
Find more information here: https://www.ne-bic.co.uk/social-enterprise/
