What Happened to Barlow Blinds on Uppingham Road?
"You're Not on Uppingham Road Anymore..."
I heard exactly the same thing three times today.
Three different customers.
Three different conversations.
And every one of them began with the same surprise.
"You're not on Uppingham Road anymore."
The first conversation happened during a measuring appointment in Glenfield.
The customer smiled as she told me what had happened.
"We were driving down Uppingham Road on our way to Leicester General Hospital and passed your old shop. We've visited it loads of times over the years. I suddenly thought... 'Oh no! Barlow Blinds isn't there anymore.'"
Thankfully, before worrying too much, she did what most of us do these days.
She asked Google.
Google pointed her straight to our Brighton Road factory and office.
"I was so relieved you were still in business."
I'll admit that made me smile.
But by the time I'd finished my appointments for the day, I'd heard almost exactly the same story twice more.
That's when it struck me.
Even though we moved around six years ago, lots of people in Leicester still think of Barlow Blinds as being on Uppingham Road.
So I thought it was probably worth telling the story.
Leaving Uppingham Road Was One of Our Hardest Decisions
For many Leicester families, our Uppingham Road showroom was Barlow Blinds.
Generations of customers visited us there.
People came to browse fabrics, ask questions and choose the blinds they'd live with for years.
It wasn't just another shop.
It was part of our history.
Closing the showroom wasn't a decision we took lightly.
In fact, it was probably one of the hardest business decisions we've ever made.
Not because we'd stopped believing in the showroom.
Quite the opposite.
We knew what it meant to so many people.
The Problem Wasn't the Showroom
The showroom itself was fantastic.
The problem was getting there.
Parking around Uppingham Road had become increasingly difficult, and we kept hearing exactly the same request from customers.
"Could you just bring the samples to our house instead?"
Eventually, the numbers backed up what people had been telling us.
We were seeing around five or six showroom visitors each week roughly one customer a day.
Meanwhile, almost everyone else preferred us to visit them at home, where they could see fabrics and blinds against their own décor, in their own rooms and in the lighting they'd actually be living with.
Buying habits had changed.
So we changed too.
We Didn't Really Move
One thing many people don't realise is that our Brighton Road factory has been part of Barlow Blinds for more than 30 years.
We didn't relocate to a brand-new site.
We simply brought our office and customer service team together with the people who manufacture many of our blinds.
Looking back, it was one of the best decisions we've made.
For the first time in more than 60 years, everyone at Barlow Blinds works under one roof.
That may not sound particularly exciting.
But it has transformed the way we look after our customers.
Better Answers. Faster Service.
Before the move, if a customer rang with a technical question, we often had to make several phone calls between the showroom and the factory before we could answer it.
Now it's completely different.
Need to check a component?
We walk into the factory.
Need to confirm a measurement?
We look at it together.
Need to discuss a repair?
The person who made it—or fitted it—is often only a few steps away.
That means quicker answers, better communication and a smoother experience for our customers.
It's one of those improvements most people never actually see.
They simply experience it.
Some Things Haven't Changed At All
Although our address has changed, the things that matter haven't.
We're still a family business.
We're still manufacturing many of our blinds here in Leicester.
We're still visiting customers in their homes because that's where most people now prefer to choose their blinds.
And we're still giving the same honest advice we've always believed in.
So, If You Thought We'd Gone...
If you've ever driven past our old showroom and wondered what happened to us...
You're certainly not alone.
After hearing the same question three times in one day, I realised there are probably plenty of people wondering exactly the same thing.
The good news?
We're still here.
We didn't disappear.
We simply moved closer to where the blinds are actually made.
Today, the whole Barlow Blinds team works together under one roof on Brighton Road, allowing us to answer questions faster, solve problems more quickly and provide the same personal service we've always been known for.
So if you ever find yourself driving past our old showroom and thinking, "Whatever happened to Barlow Blinds?"
Now you know.
We're still proudly serving Leicester.
Just from a different address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Barlow Blinds close?
No. We moved from our Uppingham Road showroom to our Brighton Road factory and office around six years ago.
Can I still visit Barlow Blinds?
Yes. We operate from Brighton Road and also offer free home appointments throughout Leicester and Leicestershire.
Why did you leave Uppingham Road?
Customer buying habits changed. More people preferred home appointments, and parking around the showroom had become increasingly difficult.
Do Barlow Blinds still manufacture blinds in Leicester?
Yes. Many of our blinds are still manufactured here in Leicester.
About Phil Coleman
Phil Coleman is the fifth generation of his family to run Barlow Blinds, a Leicester business that has been making blinds since 1887. With over 30 years of hands-on experience, Phil has played a leading role in shaping industry standards including being part of the team that wrote the only NVQ qualification for blind and shutter installers. He also serves on the Management Committee of the British Blind & Shutter Association (BBSA), helping to set best practice across the trade. Under his leadership, Barlow Blinds has remained true to its founding principle: “It’s not our job to find customers for our blinds, it’s our job to find the right blinds for our customers.”
Article Review & Accuracy
Reviewed by: Phil Coleman, Managing Director, Barlow Blinds
Last reviewed: July 2026
Our promise
If new evidence, products or British Standards change our advice, we'll update this article. If we make a mistake, we'll correct it.
This article forms part of the Barlow Blinds Knowledge Centre and is written or personally reviewed by Phil Coleman, drawing on more than 35 years' experience, guidance from the British Blind & Shutter Association (BBSA), British Standards where applicable, manufacturer technical information and real customer feedback.
Major updates to this article are shown at the top or bottom of the page.
