Dunelm falters following better beginning

Dunelm was founded by Leeds couple Bill and Jean Adderley in 1979 as a market stall business, selling ready-made curtains.

By The Newsroom

Published 12th Apr 2012, 07:00 BST

The first shop was opened in Leicester in 1984.

The group’s first superstore was opened in Rotherham in 1991.

Over the following years the business developed into a chain of high street shops before expanding into broader homewares categories.

In 2001 the company bought Bellbird Ltd, a custom-made curtain facility.

In 2002 it opened a new central warehouse in Burton.

The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange in October 2006.

In 2008 it bought the worldwide rights to the Dorma brand.

It has a current market capitalisation of £1bn with a free float of approximately 45 per cent.