Whilst last year was certainly a year to remember for all of us, for Pimlico Plumbers, 2020 was also a year to be very proud of. The London-based heating and plumbing firm has seen profits soar in the current financial period, with revenues set to total £48 million by the end of May.
The last two sales quarters have seen Pimlico Plumbers exceed all of their previous quarters, with each record-breaking quarter bringing in £13 million. Sales during the months of October and December also reached unprecedented highs, with figures coming to £4.5 million in October and £4.34 million in December, whilst November 2020 saw the company have its second-best November sales income of £4.31 million.
Seemingly going from strength to strength, Pimlico Plumbers has gone on to have a very impressive start to 2021, with their highest January turnover in their 42-year history, which reached £4.13 million. Continuing the trend into this February, where turnover on the previous year’s February was exceeded by 15.3% to achieve sales of £4.31 million. The month of March, however, has surpassed all expectations to bring in the firm’s highest sales figures ever, with an impressive turnover of £4.62 million.
A Successful Year Despite The Pandemic
In a stark contrast to the vast number of businesses which have struggled to survive because of the Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown periods, Pimlico Plumbers boss Charlie Mullins actually credits the pandemic for their runaway success, commenting “Undoubtedly, we’ve benefited from people staying at home this year.”
Not only have more of us turned our attention to home renovations and improvements during the lockdown months, but the increased pressure on home heating and plumbing systems resulting from remote work and home schooling have taken their toll. This has meant that Pimlico Plumbers has seen an increased demand for repair and maintenance work, even as jobs for commercial premises slumped in comparison.
The “No Jab, No Job” Approach
One key reason for Pimlico Plumbers’ success in the face of the pandemic challenge has undoubtedly been Charlie Mullins’s policy of enforcing strict “Covid- safe” working practices. The firm brought in specialist safety precautions such as thermal scanning and Covid testing, alongside “literally tons” of PPE and hand sanitiser for staff. These measures gave customers the all-important confidence to use the heating and plumbing service, but Mullins is now making the news with his controversial plans to insist on staff vaccinations, too.
As one of the first UK businesses to declare that its staff must undergo mandatory Covid vaccinations, Charlie Mullins is not weakening his stance, despite the potential legal and ethical issues. Calling his plans a “no brainer”, Mullins says that jabs are essential for the safety of his employees and their customers, and, without such a policy the firm could soon face problems with recruiting and retaining staff. Indeed, Mullins reports that despite the controversy his policy has seen in the press, his employees have welcomed the move, and are “delighted.”
