It is safe to say that the pandemic has changed our lives in many ways, one of which being our shopping habits. We can all attest to the fact that our purchasing habits have increasingly shifted online, with the impact of this being seen up and down the high street.

By the end of June 2021, Great Britain’s high streets lost over 8,700 chain store branches from prominent retail locations, according to PwC research, supported by the Local Data Company.

Iconic brands disappeared for good from the high street, including Miss Selfridge, Topshop and Debenhams. Marks and Spencer continued with its plan to close and merge stores, 100 of them by the end of 2022. John Lewis also announced the closure of 42 of its stores after lockdown. The group announced its first ever loss, of £517 million, in its more than 150 year history. A further 30 store closures have been announced. [Cited from Forbes.com]

This shift in our relationship with the high street might sound like total doom and gloom for the state of the economy, but one trend has very positive implications for our communities; consumers are buying small and local. Research from Deloitte states that 59% of consumers in Britain have bought from local stores and services more regularly during lockdowns. This is great news for local businesses and is certainly something we at Kitchenroom have seen the benefits of, with 2021 being our busiest year on record so far. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us!

Buying local may be becoming increasingly popular, but for many of us the numerous advantages have been clear for a while. We have always seen being a local kitchen supplier as a huge strength when it comes to the level of service we are able to offer to our clients.

Based in Didcot, we cover all the surrounding areas including Oxford town centre, Abingdon, Didcot, Wallingford, Wantage, Grove, Thatcham, Kidlington, Faringdon, Newbury and as far as Swindon. These are areas we know well and have been servicing for many years now.

If you are thinking about purchasing a new kitchen, but are unsure whether to go with a national chain or local supplier, take a look at the following reasons as to why we think choosing a local kitchen supplier is the best route for purchasing your new fitted kitchen.

Invest in the local economy

Shopping at a local business, rather than a large chain, is beneficial for the economy of your community. Research shows that £10 spent with a local independent shop means up to an additional £50 goes back into the local economy. This is simply because the nearby business owners who you are spending your money with, will then put that money back into your local community by going into local pubs and restaurants etc, therefore circulating the money and allowing your community to thrive.

At Kitchenroom we very much believe in investing in our local economy, whether that be through advertising in local publications, sourcing materials from local suppliers, and using local people to carry out kitchen installations. We want to see our local area thrive, as this ultimately creates a virtuous circle for us all.

Support local job growth and creation

Spending your money with local businesses supports job creation in your area as businesses grow and take on more people. Small local businesses make up the largest proportion of employers in the UK and provide the most local jobs to communities. Helping to grow the number of jobs in your area makes for a better place to live and work which then creates a healthy economy for the community.

We work with a number of local kitchen fitters in Oxfordshire and Berkshire who are highly skilled and well respected in the community. We are proud to work with these fellow local businesses to help build the regional economy. Another huge advantage of our fitters being from the area is that they are always nearby, so if you need someone to pop by to take a look at something, or make an adjustment, we’re never too far away.

Experience a higher level of customer service

As a local company our reputation is the most valuable thing we have. Whether somebody has a good or bad experience with you, word spreads very quickly in a local area and so it’s vital we’re well thought of in the community. The vast majority of our business comes from word of mouth and recommendations so we want to make sure all our customers are as happy with our service and products as possible by going the extra mile. We also just really love helping people and bringing a smile to their faces, so we’ll do our utmost to deliver a great service that you’ll be happy and proud to tell all your friends and family about!

If you have enquired with a national kitchen supplier recently you will likely have found they are no longer able to visit your home to design your new kitchen. Instead you will be asked to measure up yourself and design your kitchen with them in branch. That is all well and good if your kitchen is simply going to be a like for like replacement, but measuring up can be much more tricky if you are thinking about taking down walls or doing anything more structural. What’s more, some companies may ask you to pay for your new design – a cost which is only refunded if you place an order with them.

Our home design service is completely free of charge. We will carry out at least one visit to your home (more if required), will do all the measuring up for you and will provide you with a state of the art Kitchen design of your beautiful new kitchen.We truly want to go above and beyond for our customers; we’re happy to visit your home as many times as you need and we are always on hand over the phone for any queries, questions or last minute panics you may have.

Find a competitive price

Many of our customers are often surprised at how well our prices compare to national companies, who they often expect to be significantly cheaper than a local business. Although nationa firms often have big buying power, they also have higher costs to cover. One of the benefits of being a local kitchen company is that we don’t carry the same large overheads as some of the national suppliers. We don’t need showrooms or salespeople and most of our marketing is done through word of mouth, which helps us to keep our costs, and therefore our prices, low. We do however understand that you want to see what you are buying, or considering buying before committing to it, which is why we carry a large number of sample doors, worktops and other fixtures. If we don’t have the colour or exact style you are looking at, we are always happy to order it in for you so you can be completely certain of your choice. What’s more, you can usually keep the sample at home for a few days to check colours and textures in the environment you’re choosing them for. Lighting levels make such a big difference to how things look, so this is great to be able to do.

We are always available to call in and happy to help

When you choose a local company like Kitchenroom to supply your kitchen you know we are never too far away, which means we’re happy to stop by whenever you need us. Want to discuss a new design idea? We’ll come over and talk it through with you in person. Not totally sure if the sample you have is the right colour? We’ll get you some more and leave them with you until you’re happy.

The benefit of being local is we can call in whenever you need our help or opinion on something. We’ve even been known to drop in with specialist tools to help make your fitter’s life easier. Just call and we’ll be there!

Deal with real, local people

The brilliant thing about independent businesses is that they are run by real people, who you can always get hold of; not by shareholders, boardrooms or algorithms.

From the very first meeting you have with us, to the final inspection we carry out on your new kitchen, you will have one point of contact at Kitchenroom. We offer total continuity, so there will be no need to explain who you are and your situation to yet another member of staff. We will always know exactly where things are at, and no customer query will ever slip between the cracks. We have complete oversight of your project and you’ll always know you are speaking to the same person.

We have been very lucky and proud to supply and fit new kitchens for hundreds of customers throughout Oxfordshire and Berkshire. We’ve built lasting relationships with many of them, being invited back to supply new kitchens again after house moves and receiving recommendations to many of their friends and family members. To put it simply, we care about what we do and the people we do it for, and take huge pride in working within our own local community.

We’re  delighted to offer high quality kitchens with outstanding customer service. What’s more, with Kitchenroom you can always be assured of:

1. First class personal service from start to finish
2. 18 mm Rigid (assembled) wall and base units with doors already fitted
3. 10 cabinet colour options (so not just white / ivory or oak) to match the colour of the kitchen
4. 2 mm ABS edged cabinets
5. Soft close Blum doors & drawers that come with a lifetime guarantee
6. 25 year guarantee on our units / 10 years on Solid wood kitchens / 7 years on MDF kitchens
7. A typical lead time of 3-4 weeks
8. We can supply only or supply and fit your new kitchen where we will take care of the whole project from start to finish

Want to know more?

Why not take a look at some of our recently completed kitchen installations?

Click here to see our range of fitted kitchens.