Leather Repair Company hits new heights with Concorde restoration work
A family firm which breathes new life into prized possessions ranging from classic cars to sofas has been appointed to clean up Concorde.
The Leather Repair Company has started work on restoring the seats on G-BOAC Concorde, which attracts thousands of visitors every year to the Runway Visitor Park at Manchester Airport.
The couple behind the business, Richard and Carolynne Hutchins, are also polishing their skills to meet the needs of other aviation clients.
A spokesman said: “The Concorde coup came about after the couple found themselves with time to kill while waiting for a delayed flight from Manchester to the United States. They went to the Runway Visitor Park and decided to offer their services. Richard and Carolynne took two seats for testing at their premises in Argyle Industrial Estate in Hull and, after successful trials, are now restoring the rest in batches.”
Mr Hutchins said: “It will be a very sympathetic restoration. We need to make sure the seats still look old but are well cared for. We were immediately struck by how light they are. The backs are carbon fibre and it’s no effort at all to lift them.
“Sitting in the cockpit we found ourselves cocooned in a very small space surrounded by an immense amount of buttons and dials. Just seeing the plane reminded me of my time growing up in the south when we would hear Concorde flying high above.”
The couple, who live in Withernsea where they launched their business in their garden shed in 2007, are also targeting the light aircraft market after Richard’s recent visit to the Lonestar Flight Museum in Houston, Texas, where he completed his Aviation Detailing Association training and delivered tuition in automotive work.
Mr Hutchins added: “With planes and helicopters you need to be meticulous in making sure any dust and water from the cleaning process doesn’t end up where it shouldn’t or the consequences could be catastrophic.”