A Brief History

Albert James Ball moved his family to Ramsgate from London in 1948, and originally set up a furnishing business there.

His two sons, Norman and Eric, developed the business over the following decades to cater for all aspects of home improvement; DIY, decorating, furnishing and plumbing.

In the 1960s they opened a small shop in Broadstairs offering cut-to-size timber, hardware, tools and DIY goods. At that time they were also running two shops in Ramsgate, still offering the wide mix of goods and services from timber, paint and wallpaper, to bathroom suites and kitchen units.

Early fitted kitchens

By the early 1970s the earliest fitted kitchen furniture was starting to take over from the free-standing units they had been selling, and recognising the trend, the brothers quickly changed one of the Ramsgate shops into their first showroom selling fitted kitchen furniture from British manufacturers; Grovewood, Easthams, and Elizabeth Ann.

Their smart new showrooms soon caught the eye of the German manufacturers who were completely new to the UK at that time. Leicht were one of the first to call, and a trading relationship was formed that has continued to the present day.

Under one roof

By the late 1970s the shopping centre of Ramsgate was in decline, and the brothers seized the opportunity to develop a much larger site (a former disused chapel) in the more picturesque town of Broadstairs, which gave them the chance to open a purpose-built kitchen showroom and get the whole business under one roof.

That new showroom (our present site) opened in 1980 which was the same year that the third generation of the family; Norman’s son, Graham; joined the company.

As Graham’s experience in the business increased, he gradually took over the kitchen design responsibilities.