About Us

A big HELLO to all our customers and thank you for taking the time to view our brand new website.

We have been trading in the Northwest as a family run business for 4 generations, that's over 100 years! My great Grandfather started the business with a jewelry stall in the beautiful Victorian Market Hall, Bolton. In those days it was a rolled up cloth with only a few items for sale!

Humble beginnings!

The Market Hall, was opened on 19 December 1855. Measuring 294 feet in length and covering an area of 7000 square yards it was said to be 'the largest covered market in the kingdom'. It cost £50,000.

The History.....We have come a long way since those simple days. For those who know the Market Hall we were still trading there right up until early 2008. It has since closed for a £50 Million redevelopment and re opened in early 2009. This was a very difficult time for Umbrellaworld, like many other sole traders but for us it has been somewhat bitter sweet.

Forced to make a decision, we took the bull by the horns and decided to branch out into the wonderful world of internet shopping full time! This has given us the opportunity to take what we believe to be a really fantastic range of umbrellas for everyone, to the masses. We aim to bring the local business ethics of superior customer service with down to earth, personable, knowledgable staff to the wider market. We have learnt a lot from the people of Bolton and hopefully these skills can be seen today, even though we now serve people the world over.

The biggest downside to the changes for us, was losing that "face" in the town centre and not getting to see our very loyal customers on a daily basis. But we know that many of you have found us here and are helping spread the word, so thank you for that.

Umbrellaworld still fly the "BOLTON" flag and very proud to still be based here in the Nortex Business Centre. With our warehouse holding huge stocks of umbrellas and nearly 1,100 lines we really do feel that we can be a shining example of "when the chips are down" ...you dust yourself off and get back on the horse. Bringing employment, trade, manufacturing and economical growth in such turbulent times is important for us. So we are constantly looking for new and innovative suppliers. We are the largest supplier of mens, womens and childrens umbrellas in the North. We are authorised main dealers for Totes, Fulton, Blunt, Cath Kidston, Kidorable, Salamander & Senz to name just a few. Our product database is expanding day by day and we really do hope to find you whatever you need. So please get in touch and tell us what you would like to see here and we will do our best to get it. Call anytime on 01204 238 300.

The Present......During 2009 Umbrellaworld took another leap of faith and branched out into producing our own branded, designed umbrellas! This is a fantastic move for us and we hope you will enjoy them as much as our other products. To start we have created a clear dome umbrella - by far our most popular seller. We have learnt so much from customers about what they like and dislike, so we hope expanding in this way will enable us to continue to bring you what you want! Coming soon and already in the manufacturing pipeline, are more of our own products so keep watching!

Alongside this, we also expanded our team and in 2009 welcomed Rebecca, wife of Chris, to Umbrellaworld. Having spent many years in recruitment and helping Chris from behind the scenes, she decided to bring her knowledge and passion to the family business, after the birth of their first daughter. So now, there is as they say, the brawns and the beauty - although neither will admit to which role they fill!!

This brought with it some really exciting developments. Having spent many years learning from customers and also trying to market their own business Rebecca and Chris have expanded in the corporate market with Umbrellas for Business. With a real passion for ensuring that companies of all sizes can make use of the potential that can be gained from branded merchandise, we now offer a full bespoke, printing and bulk buying service. Using our wealth of contacts we have put together a really fantastic range of umbrellas that can be used to ensure you and your business stand out from the crowd.

Our knowledge, spanning 11 years focusing purely on umbrellas, means we really do believe we can supply you with what you need. If our current range does not show you what you want, we will do our best to get it. Dealing with the promotional industry can sometimes be a headache and so we try to take the "aarrggghhh" out of it and allow you to focus on what is important...the business! So if using umbrellas for advertising, promotions and marketing, sounds like it could be of interest - whatever the event- please do give us a call on 01204 238 300 and we can have a chat.

The Future..... is looking bright! well apart from the clouds and the weather but who says drizzle has to be dull!! We have some really exciting opportunities coming our way in 2011 so please stay in touch and watch this space as we ensure umbrellaworld stands out from the crowd!

We look forward to providing you with a professional service.

Chris & Rebecca Brayshaw