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Oil and gas price concerns fuel business growth for Oxfordshire family firm

Posted on Monday, August 8th, 2011

Fears over rising gas and oil prices and the ever strengthening interest in sustainable energy sources is boosting business for an Oxfordshire family firm. The owners of Manor House Stoves at the Boundary Business Park in Garsington say there is increasing demand for their wood burning stoves from home owners concerned about energy prices.

Manor House Stoves Ltd. (www.manor-house-stoves.co.uk) is run by David and Sue Lane who took on the business following the retirement of David’s father who had started it as a part time venture from the Manor House in Lewknor.

“Interest in wood burning stoves has just been amazing,” said Sue. “People want to be independent from the gas and oil companies; we see an increase in people visiting our showroom each time there is a threat of a price rise.”

Manor House Stoves has strong connections with all the quality leading manufactures and regularly have repeat customers returning for another stove when they move home. One such customer is Helen Williams who has two wood burning stoves installed in her home which was formally a pub in Garsington: “This was a very traditional pub and also a listed building so we wanted something different but it needed to be in keeping with the period of the property. Manor House Stoves offered a ‘complete’ package’. With rising costs of gas and electricity we felt having multi fuel stoves would be more economical in the long run.”

Manor House Stoves now employs five people and has two teams of self-employed specialist fitters. The increasing demand has encouraged them to expand their showroom to showcase more than the 50 stoves currently on display. David Lane says: “The wood burning option is proving particularly popular because of the interest in environment-friendly fuel sources. We are looking to build on that by installing a biomass boiler in our own home; it will help us understand this innovative technology and develop it as a new route for the business.”

The expansion marks the latest in a series of developments for the business. Sue was previously employed by her family, Jennings of Garsington, to manage the farm shop. Following her marriage to David they developed a plant nursery drawing on David’s horticultural background. It was, they say, a difficult decision to close both enterprises in order to concentrate on the increasing demands of the stove business in 2005.

The Boundary at Garsington is home to ten companies employing more than 50 people between them. It is part of the Jennings family of business centres which also includes Monument Park, Chalgrove, units at Berinsfield, retail units in Thame, and three Jennings Business Centres.