YORK fine china retailer Mulberry Hall is positioning itself as a global supplier of Royal Wedding merchandise after investing hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The business has commissioned products to be sold exclusively by them, and invested in marketing them globally, including producing tens of thousands of brochures.
The multi-million-pound turnover business makes about 35 per cent of its revenue online, with between 20 and 25 per cent of that from overseas customers.
Adam Sinclair, managing director, said he expected this would increase with global interest in these products. “There isn’t a destination like Mulberry Hall anywhere in the UK or across the world,” he said.
The Stonegate retailer was visited by a French press agency on Saturday, which is to publicise its products internationally, and has invested in global advertising and PR.
In York, it will hold a street party to celebrate the wedding on April 8 and 9, with Antiques Roadshow expert on Royal memorabilia Eric Knowles visiting the store on April 8 to talk about Royal commemoratives and give tips on which Kate and William collectables to snap up.
Mulberry Hall’s exclusive products include 500 numbered limited-edition Royal Crown Derby hand-painted two-handled bone china loving cups, and 100 limited-edition Cumbria Crystal Royal Wedding lead-crystal scent bottles.
“We will find out in the next few days and weeks what the market is. It would appear that there’s a global interest in the Royal wedding. There’s a lot of product in the bottom and middle market and we’re positioning Mulberry Hall at the higher end,” said Adam. He said the business already had interest through its website from Taiwan, India, the US, Canada and other Commonwealth countries.
“It’s their monarchy too and the future king of England. The world is still fascinated by our royal family. CNN and ABC News have had helicopters flying over the British manufacturing facilities making these products.”
Mulberry Hall’s street party, in partnership with Kennedy’s Bar & Restaurant, will include the University of York’s Big Band, tea and cakes and lots of red, white and blue bunting.
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