Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP visits new Maidenhead Screwfix store

Leading trade supplier, Screwfix, was delighted to welcome local Member of Parliament Theresa May to its new Maidenhead store on Friday 8 July.

Screwfix is one of the fastest growing retail businesses in the UK and opens stores at the rate of one a week.  The new store, which opened in February, is one of the network of 470.

Screwfix employs over 9,000 people across the UK. The new Maidenhead store will initially employ 17 people from the local area. Mrs May was given a tour of the new store where she met store staff.

John Mewett, Marketing Director at Screwfix shared with Theresa some of the feedback from its trade customers and some of the key issues, opportunities and challenges facing people in the trades in the local area.

Last year Screwfix launched its Tradesman Manifesto* which highlighted the desire of UK tradesmen and women to hire their own apprentices, and called upon the Government to support this increase in the trades. Many of the plumbers, electricians, builders, carpenters and other tradespeople questioned, had little or no experience of taking on apprentices with only a small percentage taking on an apprentice in the last year.

In response to this, Screwfix alongside the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills launched a handy guide for tradespeople to pick up in store offering guidance and funding advice on how to go about hiring an apprentice. Theresa was keen to learn more about how Screwfix is helping people in the trades hire apprentices.

For one in three tradespeople, cost is the biggest barrier to taking on an apprentice and research shows more available funding would allow small businesses to hire and train the tradesmen and women of tomorrow.

John Mewett commented: “As a key supplier to the trade, we have a great relationship with our trade customers and can really help amplify their voice by getting their message across on visits like today’s.

“Many of our customers are busier than ever right now so it’s important we work closely with the wider industry and the Government to consider ways to help them and to encourage growth in their businesses.”

Mrs May MP commented: “I am delighted to visit this new Screwfix store in Maidenhead. It is always good to see the businesses bringing jobs to Maidenhead and this is another boost for the town centre.”

For more information on Screwfix visit www.screwfix.com or pop down to the new store which is located on Reform Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 8BY.

*Screwfix Tradesman Manifesto is a survey of more than 600 UK tradesmen undertaken to understand what is important to them and how they are reacting to the constantly changing economic and technological landscapes. It was submitted to the Chancellor in March 2015.