LOCAL COMPETITORS - Ayrshire
It is impossible for the general public, using Newspapers, Yellow Pages, Thomsons, or even web-sites, to differentiate between window blind suppliers.
From advertisements in the media, the public cannot tell the difference between
FRESH LOOK BLINDS (possibly the smallest there is!)
and
HILLARY'S BLINDS (possibly the largest there is)
Both adverts can say the same thing, and can have very similar appearance.
Hopefully, this page will help clear up who's who!
Allshades
Manufacturing factory/showroom in Kilmarnock. A genuinely family-run business.
Ayrshire Blinds
Manufacturing factory/showroom in Main St, Dreghorn. A genuinely family-run business.
Apollo Blinds
This is a franchise owned by the largest blind company in the world:-Hunter Douglas. The shop in Ayr remains open, but the Kilmarnock shop has closed.
Blind Design
Two companies emerged virtually simultaneously in 2009, and, curiously, each
decided to call itself “BLIND DESIGN”
Blind Design 1: operates from a shop in Ayr opposite Hourstons.
No manufacturing capability. Buys in all the blinds he sells.
Blind Design 2: In business from early 2008.Recently opened
a shop in Troon.
British Blinds
Commission sales agent for large manufacturer based in Hull.
Charisma Blinds
See the “ABOUT US” section. We have
no showroom at present but we have a display stand featuring our blinds, and
fabric pattern books, at the premises of
STODHEART CARPETS
1 Telford Place,
South Newmoor Industrial Estate,
Irvine.
Chris Craft
Commission sales agent for large manufacturer based in Brechin.
Classique
Manufacturing factory/showroom in Kilbirnie.
Design Blind
See Blind Design 2 business above.Express Blinds
Florida Blinds
A fireman who makes vertical blinds in his garage at his house in Troon, and buys all other kinds in.
Fresh Look
Like Star blinds, has disappeared from the Ayrshire blinds scene.
Hillary's
The biggest national-selling company. Manufacture in Washington, Tyne and Wear, and distribute via commission-only salesmen who earn 15% of the sale value for selling and fitting the blinds which are generally of good quality. Perpetually advertising “Half Price” or “50% off.” Can these discounts really apply all the time, week after week? Aren’t there regulations about misleading advertising?
Shades Blinds
Famous for their TV advertising featuring three mice.
See case studies No. 1 and 2 in the '3 for £99-the
Myth' section.
Sovereign Blinds
Factory/showroom in former Monsanto plant in Dundonald.
See Case Study No. 3 in the '3 for £99, The Myth'
section.
Star Blinds
Burst onto the scene from nowhere about May 2007, with huge adverts. Turned out they were a new subsidiary of Hillary's, with advertising which looked misleading. Now completely disappeared from the Ayrshire blinds scene.
V B S
Vertical Blind Specialists. Factory/showroom in Hurlford.
If you have any experience of any of the above companies, or indeed any others not mentioned, and you feel it would be helpful to prospective buyers for you to share the experience, please use our feedback form. We will need a phone number for verification purposes before posting any comments on our web-site.