Royal guest for Booth Brothers

Prince Edward will visit Booth Brothers at Bullhouse Mill, near Penistone, on September 13, to be given a guided tour of the factory and meet the company’s employees.

Booth Brothers supplies promotional umbrellas to around one thousand distributors across the UK and Ireland. The company employs 50 people at its headquarters and a further 50 in their second manufacturing facility in the Fujian province of China.

As well as having a tour of the umbrella factory, The Earl will meet other businesses based at the Bullhouse Mill office and workshop complex, which is owned by Booth Brothers.

The site includes The Old Corn Mill, a restored building, which is one of only about 15 “carbon negative” commercial properties in England and Wales.

A combination of solar panels, wind turbines and water power means the building produces more energy than it consumes.

Since 2005, Booth Brothers has reduced its energy consumption by more than 30 per cent through investing in low energy lighting and more energy efficient equipment. Earlier this year, the company developed a new method of printing on to umbrellas, called ‘UV Print’, which uses low energy LED drying and is virtually emission free.

Charles Booth said: “We are delighted and honoured that His Royal Highness will visit Booth Brothers to meet our skilled umbrella manufacturing and printing staff.”

His Royal Highness will also visit Tata Steel in Stocksbridge and the Barnsley Town Hall Business Showcase.