SMITH Brothers, the well-known York home improvement firm opens a new showroom in Harrogate today – 20 years to the day that it established itself in purpose-built premises in Osbaldwick.

The new showroom, formerly Abacus Reflections Bathroom Showroom in Skipton Road, has been rebranded with the Smith Brothers logo into a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom centre.

All three staff are being kept on and an extra bathroom designer/salesman has been recruited. In future warehousing and administration for the new Harrogate showroom will be operated from Osbaldwick Link Road headquarters.

It is the latest step upwards for Smith Brothers which began in October, 1978, trading from a derelict army ordnance building on the Fulford Industrial Estate. After ten successful years it moved to Osbaldwick where it thrived.

Then in December 2006, the firm was sold for an undisclosed sum to Lincoln based Jackson Building Centres Ltd which allowed it to keep its Smith Brothers branding with Martin Smith continuing as managing director.

Smith Brothers now found itself part of the massive Irish-based Grafton Group, whose UK brands include Jackson Building Centres, Buildbase and Plumbase.

It was Plumbase which acquired the more than 5,000 sq ft premises and merchant business of Abacus in Skipton Road, but it was felt that the showroom was a better fit for the Osbaldwick business which would avoid duplication of warehouse and distribution costs.

Some refurbishment work begins there during October to create a luxury kitchen studio.

Martin Smith, pictured, said: “It’s fantastic to be talking about a piece of really positive news against a generally gloomy economic background.

“We are very much looking forward to establishing a substantial kitchen and bathroom showroom presence in the Harrogate area.”