Bell Tailors

‘the home of military tailoring’

Company Profile
Overview
Bell Tailors are family owned, specialist tailoring contractor who have been providing tailoring services of the highest quality to the Armed Forces for over 50 years.
We are determined to maintain and further strengthen our relationship with the MOD and their supply partners, as well as delivering a high quality service to our long list of satisfied customers and have great pleasure introducing our company to you.
History
With our roots in Africa, the Founder, Mr. Yusaf Bhatti, won a tailoring contract to provide services to the British Army, the then occupying power of the continent.
Steadily the reputation of the business grew and in 1955, Bell Tailors and its staff were invited to supply a full range of tailoring services to the growing British Armed Forces in the UK. In the 1970’s and 1980’s Bell Tailors, had won contracts to provide tailoring services at many of the UK’s major RAF command, training, and tertiary support bases including British Army stations.
As the recession took hold in the early 1990’s the management decided to down-size and concentrate their efforts in the south of England, and making acquaintances with specialist squadrons such as the Queens Colour Squadron (QCS) and the RAF Band based at RAF Uxbridge.
Today, we have built these relationships and have current positions in RAF Uxbridge, as well as in RAF Halton, RAF Northolt, RAF Bentley Priory, MOD Main Building in Whitehall and Northwood HQ in London. Our long list of satisfied customers varies across the spectrum of rank from Junior ranks through to the Chief of Staff.
Business Structure and Capability
As we are perfectionists in our field we are used to making things fit. We pride ourselves on client satisfaction because we are aware of the impact this has on long term business relationships.
Currently many of our contracts stipulate that a permanent tailor is required on location. We have all the capability at hand to set up workshops anywhere in the UK with around 10 days notice.
We have on site tailor’s shops at RAF Uxbridge, RAF Northolt, Northwood HQ as well as our main workshop at RAF Halton. All sites are staffed by experienced tailors who have comprehensive knowledge about uniform and regulations. In conjunction with this our service managers regularly control quality and assist the workforce wherever required.
If a particular site does not require a permanent tailor, we have the option of performing what is known as a tailor’s parade. This is a particular time on an agreed rota where the tailor will attend site. Clients will have pre arranged appointments or a time slot to attend if they require tailoring work. We normally work on a one week turnaround period.
All work collected on a parade is taken to the workshop where the environment is entirely catered to undertake thiswork. A large amount of our activity is conducted from here and before anything is sent out it undergoes rigorous quality checks by our service management team.
From our base at RAF Halton we also offer a range of goods and services to RAF personnel throughout the UK, including but not limited to:
  • Supply of RAF uniform
  • Re-Ranking Officers Uniform
  • Made to measure facility for all types of RAF uniform
  • Medal mounting, including supply
  • Supply all types of RAF headwear, shirts, Stable belts, shoes, rank markings, as well as providing a bespoke tailoring service to all customers should this be required.
We prove to be a valuable resource to the RAF in the areas in which we work. This is backed up by the level of repeat custom we have experienced over the years. The unique structure of our business ensures that we can provide a tailor made solution for any contract value.
Client Benefits
We have a set of core values that lie at the heart of how we carry on our business to ensure that our clients receive maximum benefit from our service. These are:
  • Integrity
    To put the interests of our clients first and to act ethically, honestly and reliably.
  • Accuracy
    To deliver precision in every aspect of our work.
  • Professionalism
    To provide efficient and expert advice based upon extensive professional knowledge and experience.
  • Consistency
    To ensure a coherent and harmonious service across our contracts and ensure a 100% customer satisfaction score from our clients.
  • Innovation and reliability
    To anticipate the needs of our clients and provide solutions that are, enterprising, timely, pragmatic and economic.
  • Communication
    To be accessible to clients and communicate effectively both internally and externally.
  • Fellowship
    To enjoy what we do through a positive and supportive working environment.
  • Sustainability
To make sure that any activity we engage in has a minimal effect on the environment and, where possible tailor our solutions such that we can ‘plan out’ excess negative environmental impact.
Our Clients
Currently our larger clients include the following:
Client / Location / Approximate term
Serco – RAF Uxbridge / Uxbridge, Middlesex / 5 years to 2012
QCS – RAF Uxbridge / Uxbridge, Middlesex / 1986 – Onwards
Air Training Corps – Bedfordshire / Biggleswade, Bedfordshire / 1995 – Onwards
Trillium Wallace Associates Ltd – Workwear and PPE / Southall, Middlesex / 2008 – Onwards
OCS Workwear and PPE supply / Various locations in Buckinghamshire / 2007 – Onwards
Northwood HQ / Northwood, London / 3 years to 2009
Serco - RAF Northolt / Northolt, Middlesex / 5 years to 2012
All personnel – RAF Halton / Halton, Buchinghamshire / 2005 - Onwards
Contact Us
Please feel free to contact us anytime.
Office: 128 London Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 8EL
Direct Dial: 07836 372330/07930 403383, Office: 01767 222340
Workshop: Building 246, RAF Halton, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5PG
Direct Dial: 07725 160302, Office: 01298 625753
Email: