Archives: News

Happy Anniversary To Our Factory Shop

On a spring morning in April 1982 the UK’s biggest factory shop opened its doors for the very first time.

Now 42 years later, the fashions and the music may have changed, but Arthur Price is still serving up quality cutlery and gifts.

To celebrate we have an amazing offer – the Toscana 42 piece box set normally retails at £295. For the first 42 people to ask, this beautiful contemporary pattern perfect in any home, will only be £42.

From today the first 42 customers to enter the store and ask for Toscana only have to part with £42. All we’ll say is don’t hang around…they are going to disappear very quickly.

 

 

Spring Has Sprung An Amazing Offer. Free Frame Promotion

Friday 1 March. Spring has sprung, the lighter nights are within touching distance and we have a new offer.

The first 100 people to visit the Factory Shop from today will receive a 10×8 frame worth £19.95 if they spend £20 or more. All you have to do is mention the offer when purchasing. Simple.

Hurry while stocks last.

PS. Don’t forget there’s free parking right outside

 

 

Raffle To Raise Funds For We Love Lichfield

We are proud supporters of We Love Lichfield, a local community fund that raises money throughout the year and then gives away grants twice a year to good causes across Lichfield District.

Our CEO Simon Price is patron of We Love Lichfield and he is passionate about the organisation.

Until the end of March we are raising funds via a raffle. One lucky person is going to win £750 worth of goodies. We want as many people to buy a ticket, only a £1! Please share to as many people as you can and pop in to buy a ticket.

For more information visit www.welovelichfield.com

Arthur Price On The TV With David Dickinson Talking Titanic

Two family-owned Lichfield businesses have appeared on the same episode of one of Britain’s most-watched television programmes. The 19th series of Dickinson’s Real Deal is currently being broadcast on ITV1.

The episode which aired on Friday, January 19, featured auction scenes with Richard Winterton at The Lichfield Auction Centre, Fradley, and celebrity antiques expert David ‘The Duke’ Dickinson talking to Simon Price, CEO of cutlery manufacturer Arthur Price.

Simon visited the Fradley Park saleroom because of a personal connection with one of the lots featured on the programme – a Titanic souvenir signed by Millvena Dean, the last living survivor of the sinking and, at two months old, the youngest passenger onboard.

Founded in 1902, Arthur Price supplied cutlery for the White Line, Titanic’s owner. Arthur Price cutlery has been found in the wreck and been verified by deep-sea explorers.

Arthur Price produced a limited edition silver-plated spoons modelled from the original die on the pattern used on the Captain’s table.

Number 1 of 89, bearing Millvena Dean’s signature on the bowl of the spoon, and commemorating her 89th birthday in 2001, was brought to a Dealer Day at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull in May last year by Tom Reeves.

Tom’s framed spoon included a certificate with a personalised inscription – “To Tom and Gail, with every good wish from Millvena Dean, youngest survivor of the Titanic” – dated September 19, 2001.

Dealer Fay Rutter offered £80 but Tom opted for the experience of auction, with David Dickinson adding: “I think they’ve got something here that just titillates the public imagination. I think it’s desirable.”

By a quirk of fate, Tom worked for Simon’s grandfather Frederick Price at Parkfield Rolling Mills in Saltley, Birmingham, a manufacturing firm used to produce Arthur Price cutlery. When Richard Winterton found out about the connection, he invited Simon to meet Tom and watch the auction together.

Tom said on TV to David Dickinson, “I used to work for the company that supplied all the cutlery for the Titanic. The spoon is made from the genuine dies that made the cutlery originally in 1912.

He added: “I acquired replica newspaper articles over a period of time to put with it along with a copy of the posters that they had at the shipyard in Belfast before Titanic came to Southampton.”

Dealer Fay Rutter offered £80 but Tom opted for the experience of auction, with David Dickinson adding: “I think they’ve got something here that just titillates the public imagination. I think it’s desirable.”

Fast forward to the auction day in June 2023 and Simon was interviewed onscreen by ‘The Duke’ discussing the Titanic cutlery and a letter from an explorer who in a submersible visited the wreck at the bottom of Atlantic Ocean, and recognised the Arthur Price cutlery in the ship’s copper dishwasher tanks.

Going under the hammer with Richard Winterton, Tom’s lot sold well at auction and he took home £82 to put towards a holiday – definitely the Real Deal.

Simon said: “It was tremendous fun going along to the auction and meeting David, and it was a fantastic surprise to meet Tom, who worked for my grandfather.

“It was also a special moment being able to share the story of Arthur Price’s involvement with the Titanic on TV.”

David Dickinson also signed the We Love Lichfield celebrity shirt of which Simon is the patron. The Community Fund which raising and distributes grants across Lichfield District hopes to auction the t-shirt, which has over 40 signatures, to raise further funds in the future.

Simon said, “My thanks to David for taking the time to sign our We Love Lichfield charity shirt. He wanted to know more about the work the fund does and the people it helps. By signing the t-shirt, he adds to the amazing list of celebrities who have put their name to the fund, and in doing so helping others.”

Richard Winterton added: “I have known Simon for many years and when Tom came to the Dealer Day with his history linked to Arthur Price, it was a perfect connection and so I had to invite Simon along to meet him.

“Not only are our firms Lichfield companies each more than 100 years old, we are both committed supporters of We Love Lichfield and I also wish to say a big thank you to David Dickinson for his kind support.”

For more information on We Love Lichfield, visit www.welovelichfield.com.

For further information on Arthur Price Titanic replica cutlery visit: www.arthurprice.com/collections/titanic-luxury-cutlery

Series 19 episode six of Dickinson’s Real Deal, ‘Solihull 2’, can be viewed on demand at www.itv.com/watch/dickinsons-real-deal/33248/1a8665a1082.

The Summer 2023 Arthur Price Factory Shop Sale

It’s July and that can only mean one thing…it’s the Arthur Price Factory Shop Summer Sale.

Starting 10am this Saturday 8th July until 4pm Saturday 22nd July you will find some amazing bargains of up to 75% off including

44 piece Mirage cutlery set RRP £259.00 offer Price £79.00

32 piece Mirage cutlery set RRP £199 offer Price £49.00

16 piece Champagne Mirage cutlery set RRP £140.00 offer Price £35.00

42 piece Highgrove cutlery set RRP £278.00 offer Price £75.00

Black and White Knife Block RRP £99.00 offer Price £29.00

Woodland and Jungle child cutlery set RRP £22.50 offer Price £5.95

4 Mirage Serving Spoons RRP £39.00 offer Price £9.75

6 Champagne sundae Spoons RRP £59.00 offer Price £14.75

There’s free parking right outside so please put a date in your diary and pop in during July.

We are hiring

We are hiring. We need a Part Time Trainee Sales Administrator

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a part-time Trainee Sales Administrator to join our Sales Team at our Lichfield office.

Arthur Price been manufacturing high quality cutlery and tableware since 1902. A family-owned business, Arthur Price has always been at the forefront of innovation and quality, with a sales team who always exceed their customers’ expectations.

The role:
You will join the established Sales Team, where you will provide administration support to the wider Sales and Production teams. Full training on all products and systems will be given. Occasional assistance working in our Factory Shop will also be a requirement.

The role:
• Provide administrative support to the Sales and Production teams.
• Dealing with customer queries via email and telephone.
• Process orders and act as the link between Sales and Production, Distribution and Finance departments

The ideal applicant will:
• Have excellent communication skills.
• Be computer literate in Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Full training will be provided for Microsoft Nav software.
• Have a willingness to learn and a flexible approach to the role.
• Be forward thinking and willing to progress your career.

The offer:
• Lichfield office based role
• Salary: dependent upon experience
• Monday – Friday (up to 30 hours) per week
• Free onsite parking
• Company pension scheme
• 20 days holiday plus appropriate bank holidays (FTE)

Please apply with CV and covering letter FAO Tony Melia: tony.melia@arthurprice.com

UK’s Biggest Cutlery Shop Re-Opens With Extended Hours And Biggest Ever Sale

The Arthur Price Factory Shop in Lichfield has announced that it is re-opening from Monday 12 April with increased hours and the biggest sale in its history including a £25,000 sterling silver canteen down to £5,000.

The shop on Britannia Way will be open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (closed Thursday) and Friday 9am-4pm and Saturday 10am-4pm.

There will be some unbelievable offers, while stocks last, across sterling silver, silver plate and stainless steel canteens of cutlery. Plus, smaller box sets in various patterns from just £39 – perfect for alfresco dining. There is also a range of gifts including Royal Scot Crystal glassware plus bespoke Arthur Price silverware including cake tiers, salvers, candelabras, napkin rings and much more.

Simon Price, CEO said, “This re-opening is a celebration. Pure and simple. After the dark, harsh months of lockdown the team is bursting to see people and what better way to celebrate than to have some super offers.

“It will be so good to be back together again. We are thankful to all the local people who have purchased from us over the last year. Supporting independent shops is important for the local economy but it also shows great community spirit and I ask everyone to keep shopping local for whatever they need, keep our independent shops’ tills ringing.”

James Price, Simon’s eldest son and the fifth generation of the Price family said, “With Arthur Price cutlery online plus a click and collect service sales have buoyant even with the various lockdowns. However, nothing beats seeing people in the shop, it just lifts people’s spirits and we can’t wait to see people.

Safety and welfare guidelines for both staff and customers are in place including a one-way route, social distancer markers throughout, a sanitiser station and a screened till point.

The Arthur Price team invites customers to browse in the shop or they can call or email their orders.
There is lots of free parking immediately outside where all purchases can be placed straight into people’s cars.

Follow the Arthur Price Factory Shop on Facebook to keep up to date with all the special offers during Spring.

We Are Open Again – Please Shop Local

The Arthur Price Factory Shop in Lichfield has re-opened after closing back in March due to the lockdown. The UK’s biggest cutlery shop will initially be open three days a week – Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9am-3pm, but customers can email staff at any time.

The shop, based on Britannia Way, Lichfield, has implemented strict safety and welfare guidelines for both staff and customers. There is a one-way route, social distancer markers throughout, a sanitiser station, screened till point and staff can only take card payments.

To celebrate the re-opening, there are lots of special offers which will change week-by-week. To start there are ex-display silver plate cutlery cabinets with up to 75% from £199. Six and eight-person box sets at half-price, also some of the Monsoon range at 50% off. There is also a silverware clearance zone – three price ranges of £10, £20 and £30 – anything from napkin rings to candelabras and dishes and trays, all silver plated.

Simon Price, CEO of Arthur Price said: “I am quite emotional about the shop re-opening. Taking the dust sheets off the displays and cleaning everything with the team was both enjoyable and therapeutic. As a family business, Arthur Price has been part of my life since I can remember and simply turning the lights on in the shop was a great feeling.

“Bev, the factory shop manager has been great, making sure we are ready to safely welcome customers both old and new. We opened last week, a soft re-launch, to make sure everything that was needed was in place so we could all be safe, and sales exceeded my expectations.

“It will be interesting to see what happens with the shop. Our website has seen sales increase by 138% since this time last year. Throughout these terrible times, I think people have been enjoying mealtimes together and even as the lockdown measures ease, there will be more home entertaining in our social bubbles. Based upon the factory shop sales last week, without announcing we were open, I am encouraged.

“Finally, I put a call out to everyone, where you can please shop locally, shop independent. We are seeing many local independent businesses coming out of hibernation, now is the time to support them. Also, we have seen some amazing local, independent shops who have served people during lockdown. Now is not the time to leave them.”

Arthur Price invites customers to browse in the shop or they can call or email their orders. There is lots of free parking immediately outside and all purchases can be placed straight into people’s cars.

The Arthur Price Factory Shop has offers of up to 70% off all cutlery and silverware and has a wide selection of other branded gifts for sale.

Cutlery Firm Sees Changes In Life During Lockdown Through Its Sales

After the first closure in its 118-year history, cutlery firm Arthur Price is reporting a change in the products it is currently selling, illustrating how life has changed during lockdown. The shops and factories of this family-owned business remain closed, but its website is seeing an increase in demand. Demand not just for everyday cutlery due to more people spending time at home, but increased sales in its high-ticket, silver service pieces and more traditional patterns as many people replicate going out to the pub or a restaurant around their kitchen or dinner table.

 

Simon Price, CEO said: “At the end of March, I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what the future held for the company. We had a many online orders so with lots of planning, and a very small team of five people we were able to recently start fulfilling sales will adhering to strict safety working rules. It is lots of small steps as we adapt to this new norm, but demand is steadily rising, and you can see how life has changed over the last three months just by looking at our cutlery sales.”

 

Simon continued: “With fewer people commuting, home-schooling and many furloughed, people and families are obviously together more at normal mealtimes. Takeaway are sales rocketing, Zoom parties and quizzes the new entertainment, and movie nights replacing a trip to the pub or a restaurant. And with so many anniversaries, birthdays and weddings being missed, people are certainly being creative and finding ways to make their ‘Big Night In’ feel as special as possible. We’ve seen demand for all products higher than we expected, interestingly on our prestigious high-ticket silver-plate cutlery sets, as people aim to recreate that ‘going out’ experience in their own home.

 

“I’m so grateful that there is still demand for our products and I’d love to hang out the bunting, welcome everyone to our shops with a glass of something but alas it isn’t to be at the moment. As we are all missing going out to pubs and restaurants, we have created a ‘Stay At Home Sale’ – 35% off everything and free UK mainland delivery with no minimum order, until the end of May.”

The business temporarily closed for the first time in its 118-year history back in March. Started in Birmingham in October 1902 it has survived two world wars, the Great Depression and Spanish Flu but, as a non-essential business, CEO Simon Price, the fourth generation of the Price family at the helm, closed the door on 23rd March. Simon together with his son James are working in their Lichfield warehouse packing boxes and dispatching orders supported by three others, compared to a team of normally over 100.

 

James Price, Simon’s son and the fifth generation of the Price family to work at firm said: “Online demand is increasing and my Dad and I are working flat out to pack the orders as our shops across the UK and factories in Sheffield or Birmingham will remain closed until it is safe to open.  I spent many summer holidays working in the warehouse, learning about the business and this has helped me fulfill many more orders than we had expected. We have lots of brand-new stock across all ranges, but it is interesting how different product patterns are coming to the fore, many of which are enjoying a renaissance.

“For the remainder of May we are going for it with a huge promotion – 35% off is a big saving especially on our silver canteens, but the offer is across every single item and there is no silly nonsense of minimum orders or charging for delivery.  It’s a simple, transparent offer but only available until the end of May.”

 

Order direct from www.arthurprice.com no minimum order and delivery is free.