ONE of Worcester's best known, and most steadfast, family businesses is celebrating its 30th birthday this year.

In the early 1990s Thompsons, the electrical discount store, gained a certain amount of local fame for declining to move from the former Blackfriars Shopping Precinct as it was transformed in a £40m redevelopment into CrownGate shopping centre. The shop remained open throughout the building work, at the heart of the development, surrounded by scaffolding and accessed along plank walkways. Eventually when all the dust had settled, Thompsons emerged still there and in a brand new setting.

The company was originally set up by Tony Thompson and his wife Janet, starting from a market stall in the Shambles. "It then moved to a small shop across the road in City Arcade," explained director Carl Thompson. "As the company grew, it moved to the Blackfriars Shopping Precinct and stayed there even when the whole site was redeveloped to become the Crowngate Shopping Centre. My father Tony then concentrated on setting up a wholesale and export business with sales director Robin Woodhouse from new warehouses at Perrywood Trading Park in Wylds Lane, Worcester."

In 1997 Tony Thompson brought his son Carl into the business. He then helped to organise a refit of the Worcester Crowngate store and the opening of another retail shop in Bromsgrove. Six years ago Thompsons returned to City Arcade in the Shambles to open another new larger store in the redeveloped Worcester arcade. Carl’s wife Allison and son Ashley have also joined the family run business.

Thompsons specialises in discounted white kitchen goods from branded names and also sells a range of garden machinery. Carl Thompson added: "Another niche market that has been growing for us since 2001 is electric bikes, which are a great way of commuting or getting to the shops without the costs of petrol, insurance, parking, tax or MoT. We can always arrange test rides at the warehouses in Wylds Lane so customers can see the benefits for themselves."