The Factory Next Door

Design a timeless classic and the ripples from that one idea can be felt across industries for decades.Take Ercol’s Windsor Dining Chair, number 35 on our list of the greatest items we make here.It may be more than 70 years old, but its impact and influence remains significant. Today it’s even helping revive the British wood industry decades after being ravaged by Dutch Elm Disease.On this week’s The Factory Next Door, Ercol’s Chairman and Creative Director, Henry Tadros, shows us around their purpose-built modern factory close to High Wycombe, the historic heartland of UK furniture-making.We question what makes a design timeless, watch the beauty and drama of wood bending, and learn why some outsourcing has been an important part of the company’s survival.Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoorAnd if you want to vote for the show at the British Podcast Awards, you can at this website:www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingThe Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence. Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here:www.aveva.com/factory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You must be delicate shaping it. You must be aggressive smoothing it. Glass might be full of contradictions, but it’s consistent in its beauty. On this week’s The Factory Next Door, we head to Rothschild & Bickers’ glassblowing studio in Hertford to learn what it takes to turn molten silica into art for the walls and the ceiling. Number 34 on our list of the greatest products we make here is The Glass Lampshade. Founders Victoria Rothschild and Mark Bickers explain why glass making is a team sport, celebrate the fire in glory holes, and consider the perfect size for their business. Also on the show, I have a go at making my own water glass and am reminded that, no, I cannot do two things at the same time. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor The Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence.  Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here: www.aveva.com/factory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you’re in the business of making cider, you need to be able to predict the future.Growing a single apple tree for cider-making takes years. Plant an orchard, and you’re betting on customers’ taste buds decades ahead of time.On this week’s The Factory Next Door we head to the village of Sandford by the Mendip Hills to visit Thatchers Cider.Number 33 on our list of the greatest products we make here is The Somerset Cider.Martin Thatcher, 4th generation cider maker, and his daughter Eleanor, 5th generation cider maker, give us a tour of their apple library, explain the unique challenges of brewing cider, and celebrate the joys of remaining a family-owned business.We also visit the world’s most-beautiful orchard, learn the importance of regenerative farming, and I get the tables turned on me and must explain myself.Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoorThe Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence.Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here:www.aveva.com/factory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

These are tough times for Britain’s celebrated shoemakers – sales to Europe have been squeezed since 2019, tax-free shopping for overseas tourists has been scrapped, and recent geopolitical events have dented consumer confidence. To survive, it helps if your brand has a long history and a cult following. Thankfully for Tricker’s they have both. On this week’s The Factory Next Door, we head to Northampton to visit Britain’s oldest shoemaker. Number 32 on our list of the greatest products we make here is The Country Brogue. Martin Mason, Managing Director at Tricker’s, chats to us about pushing forward a brand that’s 196 years old, competing with warehouses for staff, and the joy to be found in vocational work. We also contemplate size 18 shoes, wonder what a gimping machine is, and marvel at glazed brick tiles. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor The Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence.  Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here: www.aveva.com/factory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thirty miles south of Glasgow, in the grounds of a country house, thousands of students visit every year to learn heritage skills such as stone masonry and stained glass making. Dumfries House is home to The King’s Foundation, an educational charity set up by King Charles III. For this special episode of The Factory Next Door, we take a tour of Dumfries House with the Foundation’s Head of Education, Dr Simon Sadinsky. During our walk we consider the value of preserving heritage crafts, the importance of looking beyond our areas of specialist knowledge, and question whether our education system is too focused on learned expertise rather than practical experience. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor The Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence.  Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here: www.aveva.com/factory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world loves Scotch whisky. Forty-four bottles are exported every single second – that’s 1.4bn a year. On this week’s The Factory Next Door, we head to the remote Ardnamurchan peninsula in the Scottish Highlands to learn what it takes to build a distillery. Number 31 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Single Malt. Alex Bruce, Managing Director of the Ardnamurchan Distillery, tells us why he’s not worried about US tariffs, explains why he does worry about dust, and reveals the reason they put the distillery in such a remote location.   We also see a giant underground bunker, consider whisky Jenga, and learn how the whisky is bringing families back to the area. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor The Factory Next Door is supported by AVEVA, a leader in industrial intelligence.   Sign up to their bi-weekly newsletter about manufacturing here: www.aveva.com/factory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sheffield is about to embark on a brand refresh which celebrates the city’s role in the history of cultural phenomena such as football, electronic music, and cask beer. But we’re heading there to champion something omitted from the marketing rebrand – the city’s skilled steel workers. On this week’s The Factory Next Door, we’re visiting the workshop of Ernest Wright, where they’ve been hand-making beautiful scissors and shears since 1902. Number 30 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain are The Kitchen Scissors. Owner Paul Jacobs explains why he bought the company before he’d even visited it, discusses how to ensure younger workers want to join the team, and looks to start an argument with a colleague. Also on the show, we gate-crash birthday celebrations, give praise to a very specific chunk of metal on a saddle grinder, and team member Jonathan reveals the sign that stood in his way and commanded him to become a scissor-making. Please consider buying me a coffee to keep this show on the road: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being a tailor is a profession. It has been since 1563 when laws were passed that stated you could only trade as a tailor if you had served your term learning the craft. Today, there are around 13,000 tailors across the UK, and while Savile Row may be synonymous with the craft, most tailors are working their magic in our satellite cities and market towns. On this week’s The Factory Next Door, we head to Macclesfield to meet Brita. She’s a celebrated tailor in her own right, as well as being the driving force behind The Tailoring Academy – a school teaching our next generation of tailors. Number 29 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Three-Piece Suit. As we explore the Academy, Brita explains why having an engineers' mind helps to be a good tailor, the zen-like state you must journey into when spending hours hand-sewing, and we celebrate operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti. We also catch up with a former student to learn how the craft has changed his life, and discover why tailors, when they first meet, never look each other in the eye. Please consider buying me a coffee to keep this show on the roadhttps://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor (you don’t need to register or create an account!) Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Across Europe, we’ve been cooking with iron pans since the 1600s (the Chinese were using them 1,000 years before that), but they fell out of favour after the invention of ‘non-stick’ chemicals. Now, following studies suggesting some of those chemicals may be bad for our health, iron pans are returning to our stoves. The UK market is currently estimated to be growing at almost 10% year-on-year. On this week’s The Factory Next Door, we head to Shropshire to meet the team crafting the iron pans that celebrity chefs and Michelin star restaurateurs seek out. Number 28 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Prospector Pan by Netherton Foundry. Founder Neil Currie shows us the beauty of spinning iron, explains his love of industrial design, and reveals why he once called home to ask his family to throw out all their cooking pans. Also on the show, we celebrate the versatility of flaxseed oil, recognise the power of local provenience, and hear about exporting woks to China. Please consider buying me a coffee to keep this show on the road:https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor(there's no need to register or create an account!) Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Around 1.5 million umbrellas are reportedly made in the UK every year. We need them. The UK gets around 171 days of rain every year (though that’s across the entire country, thankfully not in one spot!)  On this week’s The Factory Next Door we head to East London to visit one of our last remaining umbrella makers. Number 27 on our list of the greatest things we make in Britain is The Doorman’s Umbrella by Ince Umbrellas. Managing Director Richard Ince chats about the pressures of running a 215-year-old family business, the need to move away from plastic components, and reflects on what he believes are his weaknesses as a boss. Richard also tells us about making umbrellas for Coldplay, why he entered the business as a 17-year-old, and questions the industry stats as his company doesn’t tell anyone how many umbrellas they make! Please consider buying me a coffee to keep this show on the roadhttps://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor(you don’t need to register or create an account!) Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Making sparkling wine is an old craft that’s found a new home. The French (and other European nations) may have been producing it for 300 years, but since the start of the 21st century, the UK has become an increasingly significant player. On this week’s The Factory Next Door we head to Kent to meet the team making some of our most internationally celebrated wines. Number 26 on our list of the greatest things we make in Britain is The Sparkling Wine by Gusbourne. Chief Vineyard Manager Jon Pollard explains why the number of hectares under vine in England and Wales has quadrupled in the past 25 years, talks about managing the changing climate, as well as getting back to traditional farming methods and why sheep are welcome visitors to the estate. Also on the show, Gusbourne’s head winemaker Mary Bridges chats about the ‘salt’ and ‘pepper’ of winemaking, the joy of harvesting, and reveals she occasionally wants someone else to pick the wine when out with friends. Please consider buying me a coffee to keep this show on the roadhttps://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor(you don’t need to register or create an account!) Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cars are made by robots – often articulated robots that resemble giant human arms… except, there’s a tiny percentage of cars that are still made using real human arms. On this week’s The Factory Next Door we head to the Malvern Hills to meet the team still using their hands to craft cars.Number 25 on our list of the greatest things we make in Britain is The Coachbuilt Car by the Morgan Car Company.Chief designer Jonathan Wells chats about the challenges of evolving a car without changing its silhouette, revels in the joy of mixing metal, wood, and leather, and reveals the 115-year-old company still knows where 90% of the cars it’s built are in the world. After tuning in, please consider buying me a coffee to keep this show on the roadhttps://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor(you don’t need to register or create an account!) And say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than three billion pairs of denim jeans are made every year. But not all jeans are made the same. Just 10% are produced using selvedge denim - a denim that takes more time to weave and is significantly longer lasting. The UK may account for only a tiny percentage of global jean production, but we have some of the finest makers. Number 24 on our list of the greatest things we make in Britain is The Selvedge Jeans. On this week’s The Factory Next Door we visit one of our finest jeans makers - Blackhorse Lane Ateliers in east London. Founder Han Ates tells us why jeans are the new craft beer, the importance of connections, and gives thanks to those who dig old clothes out of disused mines. We also chat about families, our planet’s future, and what it takes to change your direction of travel when you’re not happy with the path you have followed. Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 1824, if you’ve got into difficulties on the British coastline, volunteers from the RNLI will race to your aid. They’ll arrive in a distinctive bright orange boat. A boat built in Britain. Number 23 on our list of the greatest things we make in Britain is The Inflatable Lifeboat. In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Cowes on the Isle of Wight to meet Glyn Ellis, Business Operations Manager at the RNLI’s Inshore Lifeboat Centre. We learn about the craft that goes into making boats built to rescue people. Last year alone, the RNLI saved 269 lives and came to the aid of more than 10,000 individuals. Also on the show, we celebrate the CNC machine, talk kids’ paintings, and fall in love with a boat name. Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a leafy science park in Surrey, there’s a team of engineers making something that’s not intended for our world – it’s designed to live in space. Number 22 on our list of the greatest things we make in Britain is The Space Satellite. In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Surrey Satellite Technologies to meet with systems engineer Lily Forward and head of marketing Andrew Greenhalgh. We chat about the magic of working in the space industry, launch day nerves, and the dangers of lunchtime snacks. We also talk Elon Musk and offer sympathy to finance directors. Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A thread runs across the shoulders of King Charles, Stormzy, and David Gandy, and leads to the city of Gloucester. There, in a beautiful 18th century house, you can find Emma Willis and her skilled team making shirts for royalty, celebrities and anyone wishing to look sharp. Number 21 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Cotton Shirt. In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door we head to Bearland House, just a short distance away from Gloucester Cathedral. Here, Emma chats to us about starting her business, why she felt her career was a ‘fail’ for so many years, and the importance of celebrating the skill to sell. We also talk love in the workplace and dying at your sewing machine. Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this special episode of the show, we sit down for a chat with journalist and broadcaster Evan Davis. Before becoming presenter of Radio 4’s PM programme, Evan was the BBC’s Economics Editor. In 2011, he presented a documentary series, and wrote a book, called Made in Britain. Since 2006, Evan’s presented the business show The Bottom Line. He’s also the presenter of BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den. We sit down in a disused car park to discuss how Britain pays its way in the world, why entrepreneurs look to China to help kickstart their businesses, and the joy of quality over quantity. We also discuss the efficiencies of resilience, and consider why the manufacturing resurgence he predicted a decade ago hasn’t happened – yet. Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world’s biggest exporter of horse saddles and harnesses? China. Today it accounts for almost half the entire global market. But British-made saddles are still celebrated for their craftsmanship, and they are still in demand - particularly from riders in places such as America and Australia.Number 20 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Horse Saddle.In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door we head to Walsall, to meet Jane, co-owner of Ryder Saddles. She tells us why a young workforce matters, the joy of blinged up saddles, the pain of posting to Europe, and why the industry is built on cold wet January days.Hit the play button and let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year we’re on course to spend a billion-pounds on stuffed toys and dolls in the UK. The vast majority will arrive in shipping containers, but a small, select group of stuffed toys will be born on our island.Number 19 on our list of the greatest products we make is The Teddy Bear.In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door we chat to Kerstin, managing director of Canterbury Bears to discuss the importance of being fair in business, turning away big orders, believing in work with a social purpose, and popping round to Uri Geller’s house. Also on the show, we learn how teddy bears got their name, reminisce about our childhood teddies, and give praise to Michael Buble’s jeans.Hit the play button, let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In East London, at a former Burberry factory, jackets and shirts are being manufactured with a unique twist – every element of them, from the buttons to the labels, the thread to the cloth, has been produced within the British Isles.In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door, we meet husband-and-wife team Paul and Debbie, co-founders of clothing brand MISSING. They explain why they set out to source everything from the Isles, despair about fake ‘Made in Britain’ labels, and reveal how to resolve a Mexican stand-off.Also on the show, we chat to factory manager Alex from Apparel Tasker. She tells us where her love of manufacturing came from, shows off possibly Britain’s best factory canteen, and introduces Peanut the dog.Hit the play button, let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are 181 companies making footwear in the UK. In this week’s show we visit one of the oldest, Norfolk’s Bowhill & Elliott, to celebrate its Albert Slipper. These slippers, traditionally made from velvet and often featuring intricate embroidered motifs, are still crafted by hand in a workshop behind the company’s shop on Norwich’s high street. They've been based there since 1874. Marc, Bowhill & Elliott’s Managing Director, tells us about rolling the dice of good fortune, the origins of the slipper, the power of fresh starts, and his backup plan if it all goes wrong. Hit the play button, let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the summer sun finally arrives, it’s time to celebrate an item we commonly hear in our villages and towns during the warmer months – the morris bell. Morris dancers wear dozens of these bells strapped to their legs, giving their routines a distinctive sound. On today’s show, we head to Birmingham Stopper – one of the last factories in Britain still manufacturing the bells (it also produces a host of other much more sophisticated componentry such as car engine parts). Chairman Roger Varley tells us what it’s been like leading a British manufacturer for the past four decades, shares the single-most important decision he’s made in his career, and gives thanks to his wife. We also learn about power presses, remember the Vauxhall Viva, and chat about spirits with a morris dancer. Hit the play button, let’s hang out. Afterwards, say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We celebrate a watch on today’s show – one made using 3D printing technologies (or additive manufacturing as the technique is referred to in the industry). Apiar are new-comers to the horology world, but their use of additive manufacturing, and focus on British-sourced parts, makes them particularly interesting. We travel to Ebbw Vale in South Wales to visit the factory making Apiar’s intricate watch cases. There, we chat to engineer Youssef about his journey from the steel works of Egypt to the green, green, grass he now calls home. Youssef reveals how to be beat the Far East on price, reminds us why British manufacturing is legendary, and explains why he’s so proud of his machines. We also speak to Apiar founders Matt and Sam about launching a new brand, the power of lattice structures, and why sending out your first products is like waving your child off to university.   Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s time to add a piece of footwear to our list of great British-made products. This week we head to Northamptonshire, the traditional home of our shoe-making industry, to tour Joseph Cheaney & Sons’ factory. Our guide Martin celebrates The Derby Boot, shows us what makes a Goodyear welted shoe special, explains why clippers are more skilled than cutters, and reveals he wants to be buried in a shoe box. We also speak to owners Jonathan and William Church about being the guardians of a 140-year-old brand, how they’re growing the business, and why Japanese customers love British craft. Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For number 13 on our list we head to 13 Savile Row, W1. There we meet Ruby, founder and creative director of Banshee, to learn how she makes her exquisite bespoke velvet jackets.As we tour Banshee’s workshop, we discuss bespoke clothing for women, the joy of British fabrics, the importance of marrying business and creativity, and the unpredictability of imposter syndrome.We also appreciate Savile Row from above and chat with Charles, a tailor who’s worked on this famous street for decades and knows the inside leg measurements of quite a few movie stars.Say hello on Instagram @thefactorynextdoor or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fire irons. We’ve been forging them for centuries – literally. Blacksmiths have been making them since, well, the Iron Age. They sit at number 12 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we visit ironwork company Nigel Tyas to see how they blend old techniques with modern tools and handcraft fire irons, as well as wrought iron lighting and curtain poles.   Brothers Gareth and Dan show us around their South Yorkshire factory. We learn how to test the skill of a blacksmith, chat about the joy – and effort – of hammering at an anvil, give praise to bi-fold doors, and wonder why the siblings don’t argue more often. Say hello on Instagram, search the ‘The Factory Next Door’ or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.comLet’s make more makers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Number 11 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Carry-On Case – and this piece will force you to rethink what you know about the humble piece of paper. Luggage company Globe-Trotter, loved by royalty, celebrities, and plenty of lifelong fans, takes paper – adds a dose of magic – and creates a material that is extraordinarily durable and light. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, business development director James Fisher shows us around the luggage and leather company’s Hertfordshire factory. We discuss collaborating with Gucci, the joy of having a lovely case in a rubbish airport, and why Tyler, The Creator is a lovely bloke to have around for a visit.Say hello on Instagram, search the ‘The Factory Next Door’ or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.comLet’s make more makers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve reached number 10 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain. And it’s a true icon. The Spitfire. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we visit two factories both making their own versions of this legendary plane. In Margate, we pop into model maker Airfix to chat with researcher Luke about their 1:24 scale Spitfire replica. And in a hanger in Oxfordshire, we meet Paul who – along with a group of volunteers – are building a squadron of Spitfires that will tour the country (appropriately called the Ace Squadron). We learn what makes this plane special, the beauty of pop rivet patterns, take a flight in a Spitfire simulator, look around an empty factory, and so, so much more.Say hello on Instagram, search the ‘The Factory Next Door’ or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.comLet’s make more makers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered why, in this digital age, scientific institutions still employ artists to paint flora and fauna? In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Kew Gardens to meet Lucy Smith, one of the world’s leading botanical illustrators. Lucy shows us around Kew’s art workshop and explains why the botanical illustration remains as relevant today as it did during the voyages of Darwin or Cook. She also talks about the need for makers to keep believing in themselves, and why counting bricks can be life-changing.   Say hello on Instagram, search the ‘The Factory Next Door’ or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.comLet’s make more makers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered what a bomb disposal expert does when it’s time to change career? Well, in the case of Alex Simpson, they return to the Midlands and open a leather factory.In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we tour Beorma’s factory and learn how its plaited leather belts are made. We chat to Managing Director Alex about the challenges of keeping alive Walsall’s historic leather industry, the stress of leaving the armed forces, and why he’s resigned to sleepless nights.Say hello on Instagram, search the ‘The Factory Next Door’ or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.comLet’s make more makers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered what makes one stripy mug a design icon, and the other is, well just a stripy mug? In this episode, we travel to the home of Cornishware in Somerset to learn how its distinctive (and world famous) three striped mug is produced. We chat about the challenges of bringing production back from the Far East, ask whether imitation is flattery, and solve the puzzle of why it’s called Cornishware, but is made miles from Cornwall. Say hello on Instagram, search ‘The Factory Next Door’, or email steve@thefactorynextdoor.com Let’s make more makers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered what’s the perfect piece of utilitarian clothing? We think it might be the fisherman’s smock. Originally designed for seafarers, it was then adopted by artists, and is now popular on catwalks. In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door we head to Yarmouth Oilskins on the Norfolk coast. It’s a company that knows how to make a fisherman’s smock - they’ve been doing it for more than a century.Creative designer Sophie talks us through the characteristics of a smock, why it’s vital that we attract a new generation into manufacturing, and sings Pauline Fowler’s praises.Also on the show, retired fisherman Keith explains why clothes matter at sea, the joy of a brightly coloured suit, and how to avoid fisherman’s boils. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever thought about how you can get a lifetime of free beer? Actually, let’s rephrase that question. Ever thought about launching your own brewery specialising in British cask ale? On this episode of The Factory Next Door we head to West Sussex to meet Liam, the owner of Aleworks Brewing Co. Sales of cask ales have been falling for years as drinkers switch to American or European-inspired lagers. Liam tells us how he plans to save the traditional British pint, the trauma of cold call sales, and why he is only a little bit mad. We also head to London to attend a celebration of British beer and get clear on the difference between cask ale and craft lager. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered who builds the best choppers this side of the Atlantic? Turns out they are lovingly crafted in an old tractor repair workshop in North Yorkshire. On this episode of The Factory Next Door we meet Vic and Lin, the couple behind the multi-award winning Destiny Cycles. We discuss the enduring appeal of choppers, the joy of reusing vintage parts, and finding love at a car boot sale. Also on the show, I find out about my family’s motorbike history, and why some dreams don’t come true. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered what it takes to make a bike that's loved by princesses, Mary Poppins, and Paddington Bear? We did, so we headed through the factory doors of one of Britain’s last remaining manufacturers of bicycles to find out.On this episode of The Factory Next Door we are in Stratford-Upon-Avon to chat with Adrian Williams, chairman of Pashley Bicycles. We discuss the beauty of brazing, sacrificing economics for social gains, and the power of love.Also in the show, we go on a cycling tour of London to appreciate the usefulness of a Pashley wicker basket and the joys of Victorian tweed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered what it takes to make your own backpack from scratch? We did, so we tracked down one of Britain’s most progressive apparel companies for a chat. It turns out it requires a lot of blood, sweat, and staples. On this episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to the Cornish cliffs to meet Mark, founder of The Level Collective, to discuss the importance of making products that last, being brave in business, and the pain of picking the right thread. We also head to the outskirts of Birmingham to meet a leather worker with four decades of experience and who knows how to skive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered who designs the distinctive fabrics found on the London Underground? So did we, and it turns out the designers don’t just create iconic seat patterns known to millions of commuters, they make the most exquisite gifts you’ll find in the gift shops of our most famous art galleries and museums. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we go through the doors of celebrated design studio Wallace Sewell to discuss staying creative for three decades, arguing politely, and why no colour should be feared. We also head to the Lancashire / Yorkshire border and visit the mill transforming their designs into beautiful British-made products. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s on your list of the greatest products made in Britain? Join journalist Steve Duke as he criss-crosses the island to meet our makers in their factories and workshops.Whilst compiling our list, we hear stories of people pursuing perfection, tales of difficult times, and reasons for optimism.Winner of the Best Business Show at the Independent Podcast Awards 2024.Join the community on Instagram @thefactorynextdoorAnd if you can, please consider buying me a coffee to keep this show on the roadhttps://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.