Pimlico Plumbing & Heating Merchants (PPHM) will open seven days a week from October 2015 to meet demand from tradespeople across London.

In addition to opening Monday to Friday from 6.30am to 7pm and Saturday 7am to 5pm, from the start of October, Lambeth-based PPHM will be open between 7am and 5pm on Sundays.

The seven-day opening is in response to trade demand for a Sunday service that is currently missing from the capital, PPHM says. It also emphasises the growing prominence PPHM has achieved in the London market over the past 12 months.

Since its launch a year ago, the merchants in Sail Street, SE11, which operates a strict trade-only customer policy, has expanded its workforce, premises and introduced a London-wide delivery service.

Employing six people, the operation is currently recruiting for additional counter and back office assistants and is also investigating additional premises to support further expansion.

The creation of plumbing entrepreneur and founder of Pimlico Plumbers, Charlie Mullins, PPHM was initially introduced to provide the company with its own supply of parts to help reduce costs without compromising on quality.

However, PPHM’s stock list, extended-opening hours and responsive service have grown increasingly popular with London’s plumbers and building contractors, the company says.

Within six months of opening, it added an extra floor to its premises in Lambeth to increase stock holding as well as introduce a delivery service.

Operating with a fleet of two vans and BMW motorcycles, the delivery service enables tradespeople to order and receive products and equipment without leaving the job they’re working on, and aims to provide significant efficiency gains.

Charlie Mullins, managing director of Pimlico Plumbers, said: “The response to Pimlico Plumbing & Heating Merchants has been phenomenal. Quite simply, we’re giving tradespeople what they want and, equally importantly, when they want it.

“If they’re good at their jobs they’ll be in demand, which means they can’t waste their time waiting for a merchant to open at 8am or 9am, leave a job to travel across town when they need a part or find the place closed at 5pm.

“Extending our opening hours and ramping up our delivery service will take the operation onto the next level, which is why we are already scouting additional premises to keep up with demand.

“It shows that our customers want a supplier that’s strictly trade only, has the confidence we can supply the stock they need and can get it to them at times that suit.”

Image: (l-r) Jim Nash, Samm Mullins, Charlie Driscoll