It had always been an ambition of mine to become self-employed after my service as an aircraft technician in the RAF. I thought that my ideal next career would be working with people in combination with my engineering knowledge and experience. My new career path would lie within the window blind industry, manufacturing and fitting window blinds. I soon realised that although it is immensely satisfying to make and fit window blinds the priority is always helping people solve their problems.

My introduction to window blinds was as an Apollo Blinds franchisee and after a brief interruption, fitting tyres, returned to window blinds, forming Baileys Blinds with a partner in 1995. Over the years there have been many changes in the window blinds industry. To safeguard and develop the business for the future and react to changes within the industry I felt the need for  a change.  Being independent would also allowed me to expand into shutters, awnings and specialist conservatory roof blinds. I therefore in September 2018, formed a new company, 1 Stop Blinds, which continues to manufacture and fit blinds from the existing Eastern Way site in Bury St Edmunds, with the same staff.

The window blind industry continually evolves with new products, for example vision blinds, and new motorisation options being being introduced. The introduction of Child Safety Legislation in 2014 also brought additional challenges to the industry.

The sale of window blinds online will only expand with time. At 1 Stop Blinds our team embrace competition from internet blind companies. Manufacturing window blinds locally allows us to be cheaper than online offerings, with the advantage of being made locally in Bury St Edmunds.
The 1 Stop Blinds team will continue to offer value for money and service, making and fitting window blinds in Suffolk. We intend to continually strive to improve, introduce new products, and as a customer once said to me “do what we said we would do.”

In early 2020, after receiving many enquiries for shutters, I formed a new company, Bury St Edmunds Shutters, in collaboration with an experienced Plantation Shutter expert with many years in the Shutter industry.

Feel free to contact us by telephone, email, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Check out our blind fitting videos on Facebook.  Or visit us in our Bury St Edmunds for chat and advice.

We look forward to seeing you!

Paul McGilligan,

Owner, 1 Stop Blinds