PERSONAL TOUCH MEANS EVERYTHING WITH DIY

Painter Michael Fitzjohn is joining forces with his wife to expand his businesses and break into the retail sector.The 38-year old, who set up Fitzjohn Painting Contractors five years ago and now employs 35 decorators, is investing £150,000 to relocate the business and open a DIY centre, bucking the trend of small hardware stores closing down.

The company, which is relocating from Birches Head to Roundwell Street in Tunstall, is aiming to break through the £1 million turnover barrier this year and plans to take on a further 10 painters to cope with the growing demand for its services.

The firm has completed work for several national and local companies including Seddons construction company, Rank, The De Vere Hotels Group and Grosvenor Casinos.

Mr Fitzjohn said the DIY centre, which is named Fitztom after his late father Tom, will be run by wife Donna.

He said: "I have been in the business for 22 years and I was in a partnership before I set up my own company five years ago. Since then it has gone from strength to strength. I have gone from running the business from home to relocating for the second time into much bigger premises. We offer a good service, we have a large client base and a DIY centre is a logical step. We have built up our relationship with suppliers and can compete in the retail sector against the likes of B &Q on price and we offer a personal service which the larger concerns can't."

The store will stock a range of painting and decorating items such as paints, wood stain, wall coverings. It also offers the use of a colour mixing machine.

Mrs Fitzjohn has given up her job as customer services adviser for BT to run the store, which opens on April 12.

She said: "We did our research. There used to be several small decorating firms in Tunstall but they have closed down.

"We feel there is a gap in the market, particularly for people who don't have use of a car."

Mr Fitzjohn's brother-in-law David James is also relocating his accountancy firm into the same building.

He said: "I worked for Bentley Jennison but left when I decided to have a family. I came to work for Mick two to three days a week doing his books and from there I have built a self-sustaining business. It has been a real struggle over the last 12 months as we have outgrown the premises. Now we have a lot more space for growth."