Our company is a family owned and run independent business serving the Thames Valley and surrounding areas. We have traded as a Builders Merchant since 1980 and have grown from humble beginnings to become a major supplier of building and landscaping materials to the DIY enthusiast, self-build, developers, roofers, builders, plasterers and landscapers.

We have four sites based in Maidenhead, Basingstoke, Guildford and Reading, which is also our main branch and head office. Between the four branches we operate a large fleet of vehicles, enabling us to provide a fast local delivery service to each area.

We pride ourselves on our competitiveness, quality, service and speed of delivery with few other merchants able to match the overall assistance that we provide. We offer everything from a brick matching service to readymix concrete to paving slabs for your garden. You can even shop online for all your tool requirements via Toolbank Express, just click on the logo. Alternatively, ask a question in the Q&A forum, request prices, place an order or sell/find out what's for sale in our marketplace.

1960    In the beginning

The business began life in 1960 as a haulage firm based in Tadley, Hampshire (Meakin Transport) and evolved into two separate businesses. The haulage firm was originally started and owned by the current owner's father, Mr. Phillip James Meakin, (born 1925) who returned from working in America, and decided to start up on his own. His welsh wife (Dot) sold her washing machine for £65 that she had just bought two weeks previously for £80, with this, £250 borrowed from the bank and some savings, they bought a business. This included an 'A' licence and their first vehicle, an Austin 2.5 ton van from Wilf Gibson who ran a coach business in Ramsdell, near Basingstoke, Hampshire.

1965    Move to Headley

In 1965 the family and business moved to Headley, near Newbury, Berkshire where they purchased a second vehicle. Phillip had four sons, three of whom all followed in their father's footsteps, taking to the road for the firm. The youngest, Derek Meakin was born in 1968 and eventually joined family business much later than his older brothers.

1969    Going Dutch
In 1969 they moved to the village of Spencers Wood near Reading, Berkshire, as there was no longer enough room for the business at Headley. "Blanke Villa" was purchased for £9,000 from a Dutchman (Barry van den Outellar) who returned home after his father had died, leaving him a coach business in Holland. The yard at "Blanke Villa" was being used for car repairs and had council permission for this, the transition to Haulage use was therefore easy to obtain.

There reached a stage when it was decided to form a partnership, so Joe, Brian and David (the eldest sons) all became equal partners in the company. The brothers were Joe (Mr. C.J. Meakin, the eldest), Brian and David. The company was always running to keep up with itself, but managed to build at one stage to a fleet of about 20 vehicles, although they were never all running at the same time.

1979    A saw point

In 1979 the partners decided to buy Judd's yard, originally a timber saw mill, situated just 300 yards from "Blanke Villa". The owner, Barry Judd had gone bankrupt, was looking for a buyer and offered it to Phillip Meakin. It was an ideal opportunity to gain some much needed space, with it's own garage, as "Blanke Villa" was becoming very crowded.

1980    From small beginnings

In 1980 the Building Supplies started, originally selling just sand and cement, progressing to bricks and blocks within the year. Clifford J. Meakin (Joe) drove the first  vehicle owned by the Building Supplies (a Ford 'D' Series), he loaded customers and unloaded suppliers deliveries, while his brother Brian worked in the office, and saw to Joe's jobs while he was delivering.

1982    Keeping local

Their first employee was Graham Paul, a local lad who started straight from school, he was well known by the whole family, and still works with the business. The Building Supplies was a great success, but it soon became obvious that there would not be enough space for both businesses to exist at "Blanke Villa". As the number of vehicles for the Transport business had declined, the partners decided to move it entirely to Judd's Yard, where it is still based. At that time it was also decided to split the partnership, so Phillip and his wife Dot retired to Newquay in Cornwall, leaving David Meakin as Sole Proprietor of the Transport business while Brian and Joe Meakin became partners in the Building Supplies.

1986    The final split

In 1986 Brian and Joe decided to go their own ways, and so, Joe bought out Brian from the business, leaving him as the Sole Proprietor. It was also at this time that Joe enlisted the help of his eldest son, Ivan, to deal with the paperwork as this had been originally dealt with by Brian and his wife. Ivan agreed to join under the condition that the company invested in a PC, and after much mumbling, Joe agreed. Ivan spent his first three years after leaving school as a computer programmer, and had gained an O.N.C. in computers. He wrote a simple program which allowed the account customer statements to be produced within two days as opposed to the typewriter method which had taken at least two weeks (including typing errors) each month.

1989    Out of the Dark Ages

The next major advance was in 1989, when the company went also completely computerised. Gone were the days of producing invoices with pen and paper, and gone was the need to manually produce account statements. The invoice run was printed every week as opposed to being hand priced (often erroneously) and posted each  month. Statements were now produced automatically each month, and were easy to understand and read. Although Joe was wary at first, he was printing cash sales tickets within 15 minutes of his first encounter with a computer. The first system was second-hand, had three terminals and one printer and cost a staggering £15,000 which at that time would have paid for a brand new lorry! The system was supplied by Allgeier Ltd., a German company that had just opened a branch in the UK.

1990    The third generation

In 1990 Alan Meakin, Joe's youngest son, left school and started work for the company. After receiving his P45 on several occasions, he eventually returned to the company with a C&G in Electrical Installation qualification under his belt.

1997    The Maidenhead connection

As business at Spencer's Wood increased, space, once again, became a problem, the sheer volume of deliveries, incoming and outgoing, was pushing the yard to its limits. To enable the business to grow any further, it became clear that another yard was required.

Joe had been "keeping an eye open" for another side for a couple of years. Two such ideal sites came up in this time, but the business was out-bid on both occasions, eventually, through a relation, it was revealed that a site might be in the pipeline. Deliveries in the general Maidenhead direction were increasing all the time, so a second site in that area was desirable.

In 1997 the business took over the lease of a yard in Maidenhead which had seen three previous occupiers, Tudor Building Supplies, Eriths and Grahams Builders Merchant. The biggest drawback at this branch are the strict operating restrictions.

1999    Sole trader vs Limited

It was eventually decided for various reasons that we needed to become a Limited company, the overriding factor being that we were no longer a small business, so on the 1st March 1999 Meakin Building Supplies Limited began trading and the old company ceased.

1999    Basingstoke.....tickets please

In December 1999 we bought an existing sand and paving merchant based in Oakley, Basingstoke, originally owned as a family firm and run by Malcolm Stone and his son Danny. This proved to be a very busy site in spite of the fact that it is based in an old  disused Railway Station, alongside a very busy mainline track. Although quite a small  yard, it has become very popular with Trade and DIY customers alike.

2001    The end of an era

In October, the "founding father" Phillip Meakin, passed away aged 75. Every bit the patriarch and gentleman, he had always given good advice to his sons and grandchildren, wanted or not.

2002    Next stop.....Guildford

This site was originally Weyside Building Supplies, again owned by an independent sole proprietor, Paul Bird and run by himself and his family. Guildford opened as Meakin Building Supplies Ltd in July 2002. Located in the Slyfield Industrial Estate just outside the town of Guildford, this site has proved very popular there are several towns surrounding it that the Reading branch was delivering to more regularly each year, so now we are able to serve this area locally, and Reading can once again focus on it's own local deliveries.

A new computer sales system "Encore" from Anagram Systems was installed, replacing the old unix system after 13 years of sterling service with a more modern one running Microsoft Windows.

2004    The legend

Robert Fisher (Bob - pictured above) who had worked for the company as a yardman and the transport company before that, retired after many years of outstanding service both to customers and the company. Bob was "old school" and had played a big part in making the company as successful as it was, giving advice and help to all the customers he served. His name is legend in the company and he left a mark on everyone who worked with him, his name still comes up regularly in conversations whenever the good old days are mentioned by employees, customers and suppliers alike!

2005    Green fingers

An alternative site about a mile from the Reading branch was found between Spencers Wood and Riseley with a view to moving the entire operation from the Lambs Lane site. Balcombe Nurseries is a 5.7 acre site with full Garden Centre permission including display, storage and sales of caravans, camping, windows and conservatories and lawn mower sales and repairs. After a brief discussion with a Senior Planning Officer at Wokingham Borough Council, we were advised that the change of use (from Garden Centre to Builders Merchant) would not be an issue. The site was acquired on the strength of this advice but the Council later changed their minds and decided to refuse the application. So, after 3 years of attempted negotiation, 3 further applications, many broken promises by Wokingham Council and a lot of wasted time and money, the site is in appeal, hopefully in the safe hands of the Planning Inspectorate who will hopefully will take a more sane and rational view of what we are trying to achieve. If the change of use isn't granted, then the site will open as a Garden Centre under the name of "Meakin Garden Supplies", so watch this space!

Sadly, in December of this year, Doris Meakin (Dot) passed away aged 82. Born in Wales and fiercely patriotic, she was always proud of her family and was always there for them.

2005-2009

After 4 years fighting for planning permission for the change of use of Balcombe Nurseries to a builder's merchant, our appeal was sadly refused in April 2009. For us and all our supporters this decision beggars belief and is further proof of a failing planning system. The supporters for our cause far outweighed the number of objectors (by more than 15-1), our case was sound, but it would appear that some people are more "equal" than others.

The positive side to this is that you will in the near future be able to buy ALL your garden needs from us, including plants, as we will be developing the site as a garden centre as we originally promised. To tell the truth, we are actually looking forward to this (especially all the women in the family!).