Sussex Beds – Local Firm Springing into Ashford

Reaching their 40th year in business, award-winning Sussex Beds have gone from strength to strength, starting off as a bed and mattress shop in the heart of Hastings to have multiple locations across Sussex and Kent.

A strong family business that puts customers first, Sussex Beds has adapted in the changing business landscape to become a local household name, launching their Ashford store and warehouse in early April 2021.

Bedrock concept

Starting in 1981, the Pickering family saw an opportunity when the first store opened in the heart of Hastings, calling it the Hastings Bed Centre. John and Sandra, working for their family’s furnishing business, were inspired to create the ultimate customer experience. Solidifying their core values of a ‘great product, great service for a great night’s sleep’, the business was successfully launched.

Soon thereafter, they were able to expand out into Bexhill and in their first store out of East Sussex, Haywards Heath where they decided to change their name to Sussex Beds. From Worthing to their newest site in Ashford, now led by their son Steve Pickering, opening multiple sites has always been a strategy for the company, focusing on attracting new customers with the best customer experience possible.

Sussex Beds is able to go above and beyond the major chains, with the ability to exceed customer expectations with control of the end to end customer experience, being with the customer from shop floor to the bedroom door, including offering services such as a mattress recycling scheme.

The team at Sussex Beds believe that buying a mattress is a personal thing, with loyal, local staff trained to learn and facilitate their customer’s every need.

With years of experience, Sussex Beds have learnt from its customers what they truly need, while facing many obstacles, its brand agility and their concept allowed the company to overcome these hurdles.

Finding the right frame

As a part of its ongoing expansion journey, Sussex Beds are continuing with its strategic plan to open more locations, targeting opportunities and create jobs in the local economy.

Adding value to not only their customers but to the wider community, the family business believe is a part of their overall success is on the foundation of their roots in the South East. From hiring locally, sourcing the best products made in the UK and being able to offer more sustainable options.

Bouncing forward

Sussex Beds not only have taken the opportunity that the Ashford store affords to serve a new community, but to create its second warehouse, with the first warehouse in Hailsham, reducing their running costs, cut down delivery times and streamline some of their processes. Already expanding into Tunbridge Wells in mid-2020, Sussex Beds acumen and principles have allowed them to become role models of success in the high street in the midst of COVID, with 2021 set to be one of the best for the company, as more locations to move into.

Facing a changing business world, Sussex Beds have been able to adapt their offer into the online world, though ticking along before 2020, they have found a new audience to work with, with discerning customers seeking them online. They plan to invest into their expansion journey online as well as on the high street.

"The team at Sussex Beds believe that buying a mattress is a personal thing, with loyal, local staff trained to learn and facilitate their customer’s every need."

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