Gift Focus - Jan/Feb 2019 (Issue 111)

When did Pintail Candles start, and what were the reasons for launching the business? It was in December 1993 that I decided to take a leap of faith and start Pintail Candles at a time when the number of small, boutique candlemakers could be counted on one hand. Since leaving school, I had been working for a large candle company but was eager to put all my ideas and experience into creating my own quality candles. Working out of a small basement, I started to make pillar and taper candles in the little seaside town of Grange- Over-Sands, on the edge of the Lake District. How has the company grown since then? At first, I did everything, both making and marketing the candles. After a couple of years, I moved my workshop to a converted milking parlour and took on my first employee. It was here that I made a pioneering change and became one of the first candlemakers in the UK to produce candle tins, a product Pintail Candles has been associated with ever since. With a growing company, my wife, Fiona, joined the firm and the business moved to its current location in Flookburgh, a small fishing village where the famous Morecambe Bay shrimps are harvested. In 2016, with candle sales continuing to grow, we extended our premises to increase production space. By then, we were employing more than 20 local artisans. Where did the company name come from? Fiona and I grew up surrounded by amazing Cumbrian scenery and wildlife, which has not only inspired the candles we make but also our company name. Morecambe Bay is an important home to a wide variety of wildfowl, and as a keen birdwatcher, I named the business after the beautiful pintail duck, which nests in the surrounding wetlands and marshes. With their gorgeous colouring and elegance, the pintail duck is the epitome of Pintail Candles. Can you tell us a little bit about your product offering? Pintail Candles is firmly established as one of the UK’s best-loved candlemakers, with a reputation for developing luxury fine- fragranced candles in on-trend colours and in contemporary styling. The bestselling products include the iconic Paint Pot candles in 40 fragrances, the large Triple Wick candles in striking seasonal colours and the sparkly gold Occasions range. We are still leading the way as one of the first to introduce cocktail-fragranced candle tins with the successful Happy Hour range. And we have added complementary ranges, including glass candles, wax melts and reed diffusers in contemporary fragrances. What values are especially important to the company? Fiona and I are proud to be creating a completely UK-made and designed product. Known for our technical expertise, we work hard to create a quality handmade candle at an accessible price for all. Our personal customer service and relationships with their customers are very important to us. Just the other day, we received a lovely message from Rhubarb of Kirkcudbright, saying, “thanks again – you have exceptional customer service – which is why you’re celebrating 25 years in business!” Fiona and I also made the decision when we first started the company that we wanted to support the local community as an employer and to support local causes. Creating jobs for local people has been one of our proudest achievements. Do you have a favourite fragrance? If yes, which one and why? As we design all their fragrances in-house, working over several months to style each one, it has been hard for us to pick a favourite. Having said that, I love Sea Salt, a fresh fragrance with notes of sage, bergamot and freesia while Fiona’s preference is for fragrances with flowery notes such as Rosewater & Ivy and Patchouli & Tibetan Musk. Fragrance is a very personal preference as the senses involved have a direct link to the brain and can bring back special happy memories. How does Pintail Candles stand out from the competition? Pintail Candles has one of the largest selections of fragrances available from any of the UK’s hand crafted candle makers. With over 60 fragrances available, along with a vibrant palette of wax colours, retailers have a real choice in selecting the best combination of scents to suit their customers. On top of that we are also able to offer a choice of luxury fine-fragranced candle ranges retailing at under £5. This innovation and attention to detail is made possible by designing and manufacturing candles in our own We talk to James Long, director of Pintail Candles, about his business journey so far. 25 years of candle-making 44 giftfocus