Bumper online sales for timber firm

Preston-based Savoy Timber has recorded bumper online sales figures during the coronavirus lockdown.

The family-run firm supplies doors, decking, worktops and cut-to-size timber through outlets in Preston, Blackpool and Wigan, but these were closed to the public in accordance with social distancing guidelines.

However, its click-and-collect and delivery service - built by Blackburn's 21Digital - remained in operation, allowing the company to continue trading throughout its busiest time of the year.

In recognition of its team's efforts throughout the difficult period, Savoy has paid a special bonus to each of its 80 employees.

Lisa Royle said: "This time of year would normally be our busiest time for outdoor timber and decking, but we have in fact seen demand almost double during the coronavirus.

“I was actually talking to a customer, who is a policeman, near the beginning of lockdown and he was stressing to us how important it was to keep going with the delivery service to help people stay home and busy, and a lot seemed to be using the time to improve their homes and gardens during lockdown.

"The thing is, although demand doubled, we couldn’t take on anymore staff because of social distancing, so our team have had to effectively work twice as hard. They’ve all of them really gone the extra mile, from all the guys in the workshop and out delivering through to our office staff, processing orders into the night."

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