As the summer sun finally arrives, it’s time to celebrate an item we commonly hear in our villages and towns during the warmer months – the morris bell. Morris dancers wear dozens of these bells strapped to their legs, giving their routines a distinctive sound. On today’s show, we head to Birmingham Stopper – one of the last factories in Britain still manufacturing the bells (it also produces a host of other much more sophisticated componentry such as car engine parts). Chairman Roger Varley...

We celebrate a watch on today’s show – one made using 3D printing technologies (or additive manufacturing as the technique is referred to in the industry). Apiar are new-comers to the horology world, but their use of additive manufacturing, and focus on British-sourced parts, makes them particularly interesting. We travel to Ebbw Vale in South Wales to visit the factory making Apiar’s intricate watch cases. There, we chat to engineer Youssef about his journey from the steel works of Egypt to...

It’s time to add a piece of footwear to our list of great British-made products. This week we head to Northamptonshire, the traditional home of our shoe-making industry, to tour Joseph Cheaney & Sons’ factory. Our guide Martin celebrates The Derby Boot, shows us what makes a Goodyear welted shoe special, explains why clippers are more skilled than cutters, and reveals he wants to be buried in a shoe box. We also speak to owners Jonathan and William Church about being the guardians of a...

For number 13 on our list we head to 13 Savile Row, W1. There we meet Ruby, founder and creative director of Banshee, to learn how she makes her exquisite bespoke velvet jackets.As we tour Banshee’s workshop, we discuss bespoke clothing for women, the joy of British fabrics, the importance of marrying business and creativity, and the unpredictability of imposter syndrome.We also appreciate Savile Row from above and chat with Charles, a tailor who’s worked on this famous street for decades and...

Fire irons. We’ve been forging them for centuries – literally. Blacksmiths have been making them since, well, the Iron Age. They sit at number 12 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we visit ironwork company Nigel Tyas to see how they blend old techniques with modern tools and handcraft fire irons, as well as wrought iron lighting and curtain poles.   Brothers Gareth and Dan show us around their South Yorkshire factory. We learn...

Number 11 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Carry-On Case – and this piece will force you to rethink what you know about the humble piece of paper. Luggage company Globe-Trotter, loved by royalty, celebrities, and plenty of lifelong fans, takes paper – adds a dose of magic – and creates a material that is extraordinarily durable and light. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, business development director James Fisher shows us around the luggage and leather...

We’ve reached number 10 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain. And it’s a true icon. The Spitfire. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we visit two factories both making their own versions of this legendary plane. In Margate, we pop into model maker Airfix to chat with researcher Luke about their 1:24 scale Spitfire replica. And in a hanger in Oxfordshire, we meet Paul who – along with a group of volunteers – are building a squadron of Spitfires that will tour the...

Ever wondered why, in this digital age, scientific institutions still employ artists to paint flora and fauna? In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to Kew Gardens to meet Lucy Smith, one of the world’s leading botanical illustrators. Lucy shows us around Kew’s art workshop and explains why the botanical illustration remains as relevant today as it did during the voyages of Darwin or Cook. She also talks about the need for makers to keep believing in themselves, and why counting...

Ever wondered what a bomb disposal expert does when it’s time to change career? Well, in the case of Alex Simpson, they return to the Midlands and open a leather factory.In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we tour Beorma’s factory and learn how its plaited leather belts are made. We chat to Managing Director Alex about the challenges of keeping alive Walsall’s historic leather industry, the stress of leaving the armed forces, and why he’s resigned to sleepless nights.Say hello on...

Ever wondered what makes one stripy mug a design icon, and the other is, well just a stripy mug? In this episode, we travel to the home of Cornishware in Somerset to learn how its distinctive (and world famous) three striped mug is produced. We chat about the challenges of bringing production back from the Far East, ask whether imitation is flattery, and solve the puzzle of why it’s called Cornishware, but is made miles from Cornwall. Say hello on Instagram, search ‘The Factory Next Door’, or...

Ever wondered what’s the perfect piece of utilitarian clothing? We think it might be the fisherman’s smock. Originally designed for seafarers, it was then adopted by artists, and is now popular on catwalks. In this week’s episode of The Factory Next Door we head to Yarmouth Oilskins on the Norfolk coast. It’s a company that knows how to make a fisherman’s smock - they’ve been doing it for more than a century.Creative designer Sophie talks us through the characteristics of a smock, why it’s...

Ever thought about how you can get a lifetime of free beer? Actually, let’s rephrase that question. Ever thought about launching your own brewery specialising in British cask ale? On this episode of The Factory Next Door we head to West Sussex to meet Liam, the owner of Aleworks Brewing Co. Sales of cask ales have been falling for years as drinkers switch to American or European-inspired lagers. Liam tells us how he plans to save the traditional British pint, the trauma of cold call sales,...

Ever wondered who builds the best choppers this side of the Atlantic? Turns out they are lovingly crafted in an old tractor repair workshop in North Yorkshire. On this episode of The Factory Next Door we meet Vic and Lin, the couple behind the multi-award winning Destiny Cycles. We discuss the enduring appeal of choppers, the joy of reusing vintage parts, and finding love at a car boot sale. Also on the show, I find out about my family’s motorbike history, and why some dreams don’t come true.

Ever wondered what it takes to make a bike that's loved by princesses, Mary Poppins, and Paddington Bear? We did, so we headed through the factory doors of one of Britain’s last remaining manufacturers of bicycles to find out.On this episode of The Factory Next Door we are in Stratford-Upon-Avon to chat with Adrian Williams, chairman of Pashley Bicycles. We discuss the beauty of brazing, sacrificing economics for social gains, and the power of love.Also in the show, we go on a cycling tour of...

Ever wondered what it takes to make your own backpack from scratch? We did, so we tracked down one of Britain’s most progressive apparel companies for a chat. It turns out it requires a lot of blood, sweat, and staples. On this episode of The Factory Next Door, we head to the Cornish cliffs to meet Mark, founder of The Level Collective, to discuss the importance of making products that last, being brave in business, and the pain of picking the right thread. We also head to the outskirts of...

Ever wondered who designs the distinctive fabrics found on the London Underground? So did we, and it turns out the designers don’t just create iconic seat patterns known to millions of commuters, they make the most exquisite gifts you’ll find in the gift shops of our most famous art galleries and museums. In this episode of The Factory Next Door, we go through the doors of celebrated design studio Wallace Sewell to discuss staying creative for three decades, arguing politely, and why no...

From the mills hidden in plain sight, to the manufacturers sitting at the heart of our communities, we go through the factory gates to meet the people who's stories are welded, woven, and boiled into some of our most iconic British-made products.Join us on our travels. Series One launches autumn 2023.