A York carpet firm has announced record sales figures.

Brian Bell Carpets, of Northminster Business Park, at Upper Poppleton, revealed that it achieved its best annual turnover of £2 million for 2004.

The figure soared with a £160,000 contract, just completed, to provide flooring for the entire 4,000 square metres of the new Shepherd Construction-built Nuffield Hospital on the site of the old Nestl Rowntree canteen in York.

The carpets had to be specially dyed in the bright claret livery of the Nuffield Foundation.

Brian Bell Carpets also fitted all the vinyl flooring in the operating theatres.

This was the latest of a number of Shepherd contracts won by the carpet company, which was started by Brian Bell in 1981.

These included laying special vinyl flooring for the shopping areas of Escape snowdome in Castleford, and carpeting flats and communal areas of Shepherd's 200-flat Clarence Dock development in Leeds.

The rapid expansion of business has meant that Brian Bell Carpets has been forced to move out of its old premises in Fulford, into larger showroom, warehouse and offices at Northminster Business Park.

Seven more people have been employed over the last year, bringing staff numbers to 12.

It remains a family-run business, with Brian's wife, Carol, looking after the accounting side.

Janet and Brian, her sister and brother-in-law, run Blind Design, a subsidiary, from the same building.

Updated: 12:08 Wednesday, February 09, 2005