We are one of the few local companies that offer full-time, fully trained and experienced staff, secure containerised storage facilities and offer a fully comprehensive new for old insurance policy. We are also members of the BAR (British Association of Removers), which means that our track record is proven and our standards are set high. Over sixty years ago Peter and Marjorie Edwards quit their
day jobs and started their own removals business. As a young couple with two young boys on the scene this was not a decision to be taken lightly, but it was something they were determined to do. The removals industry was no stranger to them. Peter had worked for his father and elder brother at W.J. Edwards Removals and Marjorie used to run the W.J Edwards Removals office. As Marjorie explains, life was much simpler in those days because you either had a small removal, which cost £3 or a big removal which cost £5. Since the Edwards name was already being used, Peter and Marjorie plumped for Stephens as the company name, after their eldest son. By 1965 the company had three vehicles and moved to Linden Road, where the garage was converted into an office and the back garden into a furniture warehouse and yard for vehicles. The ability to offer storage was a real plus for the company and the whole family can recall how Sundays were often spent stacking and restacking furniture in the little warehouse so that “just one more consignment” could be stored. Eventually fitting in “just one more consignment” became impossible. In 1986 an opportunity to purchase the entire Wingate Road site arose and the company took the plunge. During those years the company continued to grow and enjoyed some wonderful contracts, like the work for the special services group which involved deliveries to addresses like Downing St, The Bank of England and Balmoral. In fact, the company still displays the letter from Balmoral expressing their delight that the drivers phoned ahead to apologise that they would be arriving ten minutes later than anticipated. In severe blizzard conditions the royal household hadn’t really expected anybody to deliver anything at all. A hugely proud moment came in 1998 when Stephens was awarded the Whitbread Supplier of the Year medal.The company also grew from acquisition, buying smaller removal companies with excellent reputations - AW Removals, Rooks Removals, Vousden’s and recently Bramwell Removals. By far one of the company’s most successful links has been its franchise arrangement with the Bishops Move Group. As a sixth generation company and the largest privately owned moving business in the country, it provides Stephens with the ability to tap into the strength of the Bishops brand and enjoy access to its skills and experience in overseas moving, training, IT, marketing and business development. When asked to reflect on the company’s success over the last fifty years Peter muses we are a people industry, and at the end of the day, it’s all down to the staff. During stressful times, as moving days often are, customers need to feel that their movers not only know what they are doing but also that they are friendly, approachable, good communicators and above all careful. “So, take my advice – continue to employ only the best staff and then look after them, because if you do, customers will follow”. Peter & Marjorie retired in the 1990’s, leaving their 2 sons Stephen & Philip – and later also their daughter Jane to continue building on the success of Stephens Removals. 2015 sees the third generation – Stephen’s 2 children Danielle & Russell taking the helm, as Philip & Stephen look to take a well earned back seat in the coming years.
