Quicks Archery, one of the oldest and most successful archery retailers in the world, has moved into the award-winning Sunny Bank Mills complex at Farsley, near Leeds.
Quicks, which is owned and run by archery specialist Pete Bowers, has taken a five-year lease on a state-of-the-art studio and shop in the Mending Rooms, an historic Georgian mill which has undergone an extensive modernisation programme.
During the past 11 years Sunny Bank Mills, one of the most famous family-owned mills in Yorkshire, has been transformed into a modern office and mixed-use complex for the 21st century, creating over 450 sustainable new jobs.
Pete, who lives in Halifax, explained that he has been looking for a base in Leeds after a rival archery retailer closed in the city.
He commented: “We already have shops in the south of England and Lancashire, but I wanted a Leeds location to spread our reach. When I saw the Mending Rooms studio at Sunny Bank Mills, I was blown away. It had exactly the right ambience and character for our shop, with its traditional rustic feel of exposed brickwork, cast iron features and a rich history.
“Meanwhile the community at Sunny Bank Mills is amazing. Everything is on our doorstep, with the ancillary facilities, such as parking, disabled access and cafes, a tremendous plus. The whole atmosphere of the Mills complex is family friendly, attracting exactly the kind of clients synonymous with our trade.
“I’d like to add that landlords William and John Gaunt have been incredibly helpful. They are responsive, sympathetic and very patient with our requests.”
Quicks, which was founded in 1949, is one of the best-known dedicated archery companies in the UK, run entirely by archers. The company sells archery equipment, parts, kits, books, accessories, gifts and everything else archery customers want to use. It caters for all levels of archer, from beginner to advanced archers and Olympians, and for all types of archery, such as field or target, as well as archery kits for children learning at school age. Quicks also supplies a lot of archery kits for clubs, hotels and leisure activities.
Quicks, together with its sister company Podium, is sponsoring two archers representing Team GB at the Paris Olympics, Briony Pitman and Tom Hall.
John Gaunt, joint managing director of Edwin Woodhouse & Co Ltd, the owners of Sunny Bank Mills, explained: “We are delighted to welcome Pete and his shop manager Deborah Waterhouse to Sunny Bank Mills. Quicks, with its superb global reputation, really adds to the diverse mix of quality retail and leisure occupiers we have at Sunny Bank Mills. We wish Pete and Deborah the best of luck here and know, given their passion, they will thrive.
“In addition to our offices and arts studios, we now have cafes, restaurants, a brewery, a gin-maker, a jeweller, a yoga studio, an art gallery and the Old Woollen events space. It is this diverse offer, which we work so hard to achieve, that makes Sunny Bank Mills not just a wonderful place to work but also a great place to visit and spend time at as well.”
There is still both retail and office space available now at Sunny Bank Mills, including the Old Engine Room, 556 sq ft; 3 Spinning Mill, 388 sq ft; 12 Mending Rooms, 660 sq ft; and 2 Sandsgate, 1,012 sq ft. Early in 2025, 4 new small offices will be released in the Spinning Mill with sizes ranging from 275 sq ft to 240 sq ft.
There is also 7,550 sq ft – 15,100 sq ft available at the iconic 1912 Mill, with a three-month refurbishment programme.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, whose West Leeds and Pudsey constituency includes Sunny Bank Mills, commented: “The range of small businesses here is fantastic. I have been especially impressed by the way in which the owners of Sunny Bank Mills adapt their buildings to enable their tenants to grow.”
“Small business owners working with like-minded people will find synergies and inspiration here, which is beautiful. This is an old mill which has brought people together and been the catalyst for more small businesses opening on the rest of Farsley Town Street. It is inspirational what has been achieved so far.”
