News

Cheaper, wider range of Vision fabrics.

Posted 09/03/18

Our increasingly popular Vision Blinds have just been updated on our website. We have added several new ranges of fabrics & reduced the cost of all of them across the board. We continually strive to source the best fabrics at the best prices, handing down savings to our valued customers.

Full House Offer.

Posted 12/02/18

Back by popular demand - the Full House of Blinds offer is now available again. This ever popular deal comprises of up to seven Vertical Blinds, kitting out your whole house with fantastic quality British made blinds. There are size restrictions on the offer, but this is a large threshold of 1.8m or 1800mm. Anything over that in size, is merely charged at £5 per foot over. The fabric for this offer has been hand-selected & comes in highly popular White & Champagne.

Fabulous Curtains.

Posted 19/08/15

We have expanded our product range to include Curtains, better enabling our customers to match up themes with their interior decor. We are proud to offer a superb selection of designer fabrics, with which we can make both Roman Blinds & Curtains in addition to tiebacks & cushion covers.

For more information see our Curtains page or please get in touch, our blind specialists will be happy to help with any query you may have.

New Vision Blind Fabrics.

Posted 23/06/15

We have fantastic Vision Blinds which are now available to view the full range of fabrics that we offer for these superb, innovative blinds. We’ve introduced a new range with an exciting huge array of colours on offer.

Fabric flat scan images show the range of shades, textures of weave & mesh differences. They diffuse light expertly, reducing glare & providing fantastic levels of privacy. Certain fabrics are also dim-out when left in the opaque-opaque position, resulting in a higher room darkening effect than the rest of the fabulous range.

Child Safety Devices.

Posted 17/05/15

These are now in regular use with most blinds. One of the more commonly talked about is the Breakaway Connector used with Roller Blinds. What with ALL blinds these days having to be Child Safe, Roller Blinds that we fit now feature a clever little Control Chain Connector, which is designed to break apart under a set amount of pressure. This is to remove the potential hazard that comes with any hanging looped cord or chain.

Further info can be found on our page detailing Child Safety - giving sound advice that we would recommend you have a browse of. You never know, it could mean the difference between a near miss & tragedy.

There is advice given here, specifically about the Breakaway Connector for Rollers, that is tailored towards people whom have Rollers from us & for if the control cord breaks apart (if you have children around the blind or not).

Grainger Park Boys Cup Final Success.

Posted 07/04/15

We are proud sponsors of local football team Grainger Park Boys - and yesterday they tasted the sweet taste of glory winning the Cup Final of the Bluefin Sport Amateur Cup - against Leam Rangers, from Gateshead.

The winning score was 3-2. Easter Monday 12.00 kick off. At Purvis Park, Percy Main.

Volunteering to Sleep Rough in Newcastle city centre to highlight the plight of the city's homeless.

Posted 11/10/14

Staff at A1 Blinds took part in “The Big Sleep Out” in Newcastle city centre to mark “World Homeless Day” on Friday 10th October 2014. This was to raise money for “The Homeless” of Newcastle upon Tyne.

One staff member said “We have a huge heart for helping the Homeless and felt we wanted to do something positive, although spending one night sleeping rough on the streets does not emulate being Homeless, it does non-the-less give an insight into how hard it must be to survive on the streets”

Our staff raised over £1,600 in sponsorship and donations, helping supply the Homeless with hot food, clothes, rucksacks, sleeping bags and the essentials needed to survive living on the streets.

Grainger Park FC New Strip.

Posted 26/08/14

Emblazoned across the top of the page in today’s Chronicle newspaper*, the Grainger Park FC side can be seen - wearing their new strips we provided.

We are thrilled to be sponsors of such a noble bunch of lads, whom were playing against Longbenton on Saturday. (in the Northern Alliance League, Division Two)

* (page 38 - Tuesday, August 26)

Expansion Plans.

Posted 27/03/14

As part of our 2014 Expansion & Growth plans we are expanding our Blaydon Showroom to offer our customers a greater selection of Blinds, Fabrics and Services to make your browsing experience an unforgettable one.

We believe our showroom will be one of the most modern and high tech in the country, we are leading the way in offering a greater choice for our customers. As well as having a larger selection of traditional fabric books we will have the latest ipads to browse our virtual sample books as well as tv/video/audio screen samples.

We will also have displays of full size Patio/French Doors & Windows, as well as having example’s of Conservatories & Conservatory Roofs so you can see a selection of blind types and fabric samples in situ to give a better idea of how they will look in your home.

Our showroom will also offer a greater selection of roman, vision, wooden blinds and plantation shutters.

Our expansion also includes having new offices built to accommodate a new larger Call Centre incorporating the latest IT and communication systems.

We would like to apologise to our Blaydon Branch customers for any inconvenience caused during this work but we hope our expansion should be completed by 1st August 2014 and we look forward to welcoming you to the opening of our new showroom.

Child Safety Law Newly Established.

Posted 14/03/14

A new Standard, BS EN 13120:2009 (Internal Blinds - Performance Requirements Including Safety) will assist businesses in manufacturing and supplying products which are safe for consumer use.

As of 17th March 2014 all products manufactured by A1 Blinds will comply with the New Child Safety Laws BS EN 13120.

All blinds with operating cords or chains will be fitted above the height of 1.5 meters or be fitted with the appropriate Child Safety Device.

OThe steps we will take:

We will attach a warning notice to the product, the safety device and the packaging
We will provide and fit a device to keep cords and chains or similar out of reach of children
Where the sale is for “supply only” we will include instructions for fitting the blind, the safety device and its proper use

Where the product requires a looped operating mechanism, we will provide a means to limit the risk by incorporating it into the design or by an appropriate device supplied with the product

Advice to domestic customers:

Cords ending in a loop are particularly risky. Where possible operating cords, chains and tapes or similar should be kept short.
Cords should be kept out of the reach of children. Where possible replace cords with curtain or blind wands
A tension device can be used to pull the cord tight and secure it to the floor or wall
Never put a cot, bed, high chair or playpen near a window or patio door where a child can reach a curtain or blind cord
Keep sofas, chairs, tables, shelves or book cases away from windows to prevent children climbing up and reaching curtains or blind cords. People in charge of children are ultimately responsible for following the safety instructions provided by the manufacturer

Advice to Commercial customers:

If you have premises where children under the age of 42 months are present or likely to have access you must install blinds which are compliant with the child safety requirements of EN13120.

We believe this applies to all public buildings and the publicly accessible areas of all commercial buildings.

New Showroom now open.

Posted 02/09/13

We are proud to announce the opening of our new Showroom at Station Road North, Forest Hall NE12 9AD. This store is now fully stocked with the latest collection of beautiful blinds and with our new children’s play area you can browse at your leisure in our fabulous contemporary showroom. To celebrate the opening we have some fantastic special offer’s that you won’t want to miss, but these are only available from this store.

Longbenton Juniors new A1 Blinds kit.

Posted 30/07/13

As mentioned in the News at the end of May, we are proud to be sponsors of Longbenton Junior Under 11's Football Team. We are delighted to announce that the new kits have been manufactured & are now in use. It is undeniable that these colourful strips certainly catch the eye. We wish them the best of luck for the new season.

A recent pic: Wearing poppies in respect to the fallen.

Summer Sale radio advert.

Posted 08/06/13

We have just begun running a new radio advert for our special Summer Sale. It is currently being played on Smooth Radio (FM 97.5 MHz) - why not tune in & listen out for the offer, OR if you can’t wait & you’re keen to hear what it’s all about you can listen to it via the link on the right. The offer ends the 30th of June.

Longbenton Juniors AFC Sponsorship.

Posted 30/05/13

A1 Blinds are proud to be sponsors of Longbenton Junior Under 9 Football Team.

As sponsors we will be supplying their full Football Kits including training coats and various other items they need. A1 Blinds is committed to giving 100% support to Longbenton Juniors as we believe in supporting the youth of the North East to develop talent, skill, commitment & competitiveness. Being successful is important, but what’s more important is development of ability & potential. Often children just need a chance to prove themselves and we want to help offer that opportunity to as many local children as we can.

We will be working with Longbenton Junior Under 9’s over the next two years and we look forward to being a part of their development and growth.

Facebook Free Prize Draw.

Posted 28/03/13

Win any blind up to £150 in value - all you need to do is LIKE A1 Blinds on Facebook, one lucky winner who has liked us will be chosen an random.

Details of the winner will be published on our website.

ConstructionLine.

Posted 22/03/13

We have lately been successfully accredited & joined the Constructionline pre-qualification scheme - the UK's largest pre-qualification database.

Details of the winner will be published on our website.

A1 Blinds joins Social Networking.

Posted 21/03/13

In order to keep our services as accessible as possible, we have recently become part of both the Facebook & Twitter community. We always gladly appreciate any feedback about our customer service, manufacturing / lead times and blinds quality. Now that we are part of these social networking sites - our valued customers have even more ways to get in touch. Gone are the days where the only options for correspondence were by telephone or post.

CHAS Accreditation.

Posted 28/02/13

We are pleased to announce that A1 Blinds are now CHAS accredited (Contractors Health & Safety Assessment Scheme).

Each month thousands of contractors and suppliers (such as A1 Blinds) apply for work with public and private sector organisations (buyers). To win work, they must meet the buyer’s health and safety standards.

Assessing a suppliers health and safety competence is usually a lengthy and time consuming process. Suppliers can sometimes meet one buyer’s Health and Safety standards but not another. Being CHAS approved reduces duplication as suppliers compliance is accepted by all CHAS buyers.

The CHAS scheme assesses our:

Health and safety policy statement;
Our organisation for health and safety;
Our specific health and safety arrangements to a standard acceptable to our buyers and to others.

For More Info...

Child Safety Campaign.

Posted 12/02/13

A1 Blinds are fully committed to help eliminate risks associated with harzardous looped operating cords, chains and tapes used on window blinds.

Child Safety is paramount here at A1 Blinds. Window blind cords and chains must be kept out of reach of babies and small children and there are many solutions for new and existing blinds. Here is what you should do now if you have babies or young children living in your house or if babies or young children may visit:

Examine every blind in your home. If they have a looped control chain or cord and do not have a safety device fitted then you can easily install one of the many devices available. Ask our excellently trained staff at A1 Blinds, we will be happy to assist you.

Ensure that all operating blind cords and chains cannot be reached by children.
When buying a new blind always look for one that does not contain cords, has concealed cords or has an in-built safety device.
Move cots, beds and any furniture away from windows and blinds – remember children love to climb.

For more information on child safety at home please see:

British Blind & Shutter Association (BBSA) website

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) website

Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) website

Launch of new radio advert.

Posted 28/09/12

In addition to our ongoing advertising campaign on TV & in several newspapers / other periodicals - we are pleased to announce a new radio advertisement due to begin on Monday 15/10/12 on Smooth Radio.

To listen to our radio advert click here.

Further Funds raised for Macmillan.

Posted 18/08/12

In July 2012 staff at A1 Blinds raised another £1,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support, we wish to thank all those who sponsored and supported this event.

A1 Blinds Coffee Morning & Raffle 30th September.

A1 Blinds wishes to thank everyone involved in their Coffee Morning & Raffle on Friday 30th Sept, we raised over £1000 to help Macmillan Cancer Support which is fantastic news.

With that in mind we would like to thank our Suppliers for donating prizes, everyone who helped or supported in buying or selling raffle tickets, making cakes etc., also many thanks to all the staff who helped by donating their time.

Coffee Morning at A1 Blinds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Join us for a nice cuppa and some lovely cakes and goodies. You will also have the chance to win Blinds for your home and many other prizes including Beauty Vouchers, Bottles of Spirits etc.

Help us to raise funds for Macmillan to support those whose lives are affected by cancer.

We look forward to seeing you on Friday 30th.

New PVC Range of Venetian Blind

Starting in July 2011 A1 Blinds will be adding a new high quality selection of PVC Made-to-Measure Venetian Blinds to its range of Aluminium Venetian Blinds.

The pvc range will be available in a large selection of colours including wood effect and will aim to give further choice to the economy & budget range.

Fly Screens

A1 Blinds now manufacture and supply retractable Fly Screens for both doors and windows, suitable for both Residential and Commercial use.

This product folds out of sight when not in use and is popular for Conservatories, Patio Doors and Commercial Kitchens such as Restaurants, Hotels, Hospitals, Care Homes etc.

Company Logo Screening

For Company and Commercial clients we now offer a Company Logo Screening Service.

For a professional and corporate look, stand out from other businesses by having your Made-to-Measure blinds screen printed with your Company Logo. Suitable for Shops, Pubs, Restaurants, Offices and Boardrooms.

New Range of Roman Blinds Exclusive ONLY to A1 Blinds

We are proud to launch our New, Exclusive Range of Made-to-Measure Roman Blinds in July 2011.

With over 50 fantastic new designs and colours to choose from, this range really is totally exclusive to A1 Blinds so if you really are looking for something different to show off to your family and friends then this luxury range is for you.

What's even better news is that it's a Luxury Range with a Budget Price Tag, (for a limited period only) so if you would like any further information or free samples of this range then contact our highly trained Customer Service Team on 0191 4990099 or e-mail info@a1blindsuk.com

Macmillan Cancer Support

The staff at A1 Blinds has chosen McMillan Cancer Support as their Charity of the Year for 2011. The year will run from September 2011 to September 2012 and we hope to raise over £10,000 through organised events including concerts, sponsored walks/runs and various raffles and prize draws. The staff will donate their time to support all these events to help raise money to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

For further details please contact our Customer Service Team on 0191 4990099 or e-mail info@a1blindsuk.com