A family are celebrating 60 years of serving their community with their carpet business.

Mitchell's Carpets, in Dartford, is marking its 60th year today (October 27) as boss Rose Redworth vows to keep the name above the door forever.

The company was established in 1963 by Rose's parents Bill and Rose Mitchell and originally had branches in Crayford and Belvedere and a fleet of 12 vans.

But it was the Dartford store where the pair laid down their mark as “pillars of the community” offering all types of flooring including carpets, hard floor departments, and specialising in luxury vinyl tiles.

The pair first met more than 60 years ago hop-picking in the countryside near Maidstone and within six years of meeting got married, bought a house and started Mitchell’s Carpets.

Mrs Redworth said it was by chance that her parents, who died just weeks before each other last year, created the company.

She said Bill bought a vanload of carpets from a friend and decided to try his hand at selling them and before opening a storefront used to hire out a hall to host carpet sales.

The couple quickly became known as the carpet king and queen and the business they started from scratch continued to grow.

Around two years ago, Mrs Redworth and her partner Jim took over as directors, working with son Sammy who is the third generation to work at Mitchell's Carpets.

She said: “I have worked here two or three days a week all my life and absolutely loved it. My dad’s shop was his passion, he loved to work.

“We were here before Bluewater was on the map and Priory Place was even built. My dad was the big name in the business for so many years.

“At one time he had four shops and was always a pillar of the community. He has built this business from out of the back of a van, I am very proud.”

Although the family have kept the business running since Bill and Rose passed away, they have had to change what is stocked as people’s tastes change.

Bill passed away on August 3, 2022, aged 82 following a period of ill health, just five weeks after his wife, Rose, lost her battle with terminal cancer at the age of 77.

When the firm first started, Mrs Redworth, 53, explained fitted carpets weren't as popular in the beginning and instead people would buy a carpet square to fit the room they wanted to decorate and then roll it over the floorboards.

In the 60s, many customers wanted wool, colourful patterned and embossed carpets whereas now they veer towards plain or Saxony prints in shades of grey and beige.

Mrs Redworth added: “We are a traditional business but we have had to move with the times. If we had not had the right team moving forward it would not have worked.

“We have so many more options now than we did years ago. We rarely sell a lot of patterned carpets, it is more for our elderly customers. It is different.”

Now the firm’s sales are made up of 60% flooring and 40% carpets and they have their own fitters, many of whom have worked at the shop for decades, on the payroll.

Mrs Redworth added: “As a family, independent business, it is our lives. We have got to make it work and it does work. We have been established here for more than 60 years and that means something.

“We need to keep supporting independent, high street shops. We need to keep our high streets alive.

“I am proud to keep Mitchell's Carpets above the door forever.”

The shop is based in a listed building in Hythe Street, Dartford, which underwent a refurbishment many years ago thanks to the heritage lottery fund.

Mitchell’s Carpets is hosting a celebratory event today (October 27) at 2pm to mark its 60th anniversary and is inviting customers to visit the store to join them.