There is a new lease of life for Stoke Bros plumbers in Ramsgate’s Grange Road as a dad and daughter team take the helm.
Mark and Marnie Holland have taken on the business following the departure of Colin and Stephen Stokes who retired last month after 32 years at the shop.
Mark, 54, has been a plumber for some 35 years and Marnie started in the trade 10 years ago when she was just 16.
The pair say they plan to expand the business but will be retaining the Stoke Bros name.
Marnie, 26, is on the Register of Tradeswomen and will be attending the National Heating, Plumbing and Electric Convention in Coventry next week.
She said: “I started working with my dad on and off ten years ago. Then I got into it and did all my qualifications about four years ago. It isn’t your typical ‘girly’ job but I like the intricate work.”
Mark and Marnie are clearing out an area at the premises to create a bathroom show area and are looking at more suppliers and expanding services to include deliveries, bathroom design and consultation, boiler sales and installation.
Marnie said: “We are looking to bring it into the 21st century and offer things like click and collect.”
The pair say they took on the business after finding out the brothers were retiring.
Marnie said: “We came here to get all our supplies. Then Dad came in the shop and the brothers said they were retiring and we just thought ‘where are we going to get our stuff?’
“Then we thought we could keep it open, our independent shops are so important, so decided to give it a go,
“It is a bit scary as I am a heating engineer not a business owner, although I became one overnight but it is going well and we will make it work.”
Both Mark and Marnie are qualified GAS SAFE engineers.
