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CELEBRATING 90 YEARS...
LENLEYS HOME
BY SOPHIE SHORTER
© Brogdale Collections
There’ s no doubt that when it comes to furnishing our homes, quality and style come into play before moving onto finding trusted retailers- the national names that call to us from our TVs and social media feeds. But, what about the names closer to home; the ones proudly calling you in during a walk along the high street? Can a local brand command the same allure? For Lenleys Home, it is not a question of competing but of continuing a deeply rooted appreciation for fine furnishings that our homes and hearts desire.
Founded on Valentine’ s Day in 1936 by school friends Leonard Watts and Stanley Adsett who shared a passion for home interiors, Lenleys Home began as a small furniture store in the heart of Canterbury city centre, unaware of the auspicious future awaiting it.
Lenleys- which was nearly named‘ Stannards’- is a blend of the friends’ names and was determined by the toss of a coin alone. Lenleys won, and from its early days the retailer has focused on fabrics and soft furnishings, building a reputation for quality and expertise.
Just a few years after opening its doors, Lenleys Home was impacted by the Second World War, with both Leonard and Stanley joining the armed forces. The store continued trading from shared premises while facing the heavy aerial bombing of Canterbury and the strict rationing of timber and raw material usage.
After quickly growing in popularity in the 1950s, two new stores were erected along Canterbury’ s historic Burgate; one dedicated to linens and dress fabrics, and the other to carpets and bedding.
Fast forward to the 1960s and Lenleys’ flagship store was created after renovating unused buildings in what is now The Old Buttermarket. The move propelled the future prosperity of the business and supported the development of a further five stores by the 1970s, led by secondgeneration owners Jonathan Watts and Jacqueline Adsett.
The journey has not been without setbacks. In 1983, disaster struck when a devastating fire swept through the company’ s newly opened showroom just nine months after its launch. Despite the devastation, the
family rebuilt, continuing to trade from one of its smaller Canterbury stores while a new, purpose-built showroom took shape. That resilience, alongside the company’ s longstanding commitment to quality and customer service, led to Lenleys Home being named Best Furniture Retailer at the 2023 Interiors Monthly Awards.
To celebrate their milestone anniversary this February, Lenleys Home brought together friends, customers and familiar faces for an evening of celebration, marking 90 years since Leonard and Stanley first opened their doors in Canterbury. With performances, networking and a limitededition anniversary sale, the evening offered a fitting tribute to the founders.
90 years on, Lenleys Home is one of Kent’ s longest-established independent retailers, with third-generation leaders Lavinia Watts and Oliver Greenfield at the helm. With stores across Canterbury and Maidstone, the company has maintained firm roots in towns where its founders grew up and where the business first began.
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