A MAJOR refurbishment has been carried out at a Keighley firm whose premises had been untouched for over three decades.

More than £40,000 has been ploughed into transforming the Valley Road depot of Chippindale Plant.

The shop has been completely rebuilt, including a new floor, ceiling, lighting and counter, external re-cladding carried out and security upgraded.

Neil Matthews, the company's Keighley area manager for hire and sales, said: "It was an old-type shop which was in desperate need of modernising.

"It was built in 1978 to supply machinery when the Aire Valley trunk road was constructed and had remained as it was then.

"Now we have a modern, attractive building which offers a pleasant environment for our staff to work in and for customers.

"We have invested a considerable amount of money.

"The depot continued to operate as normal throughout the work and we are so pleased with the end result of the refurbishment.

"The building is now totally different from what we had and although the work has only been complete for little over a week, the feedback already has been fantastic."

Ten people are employed at the site, which has hugely successful work experience and apprenticeship programmes.

"Every year we take on work placement students," said Mr Matthews, who has been with the company for 17 years.

"One lad enjoyed it so much he came on Thursday and Friday every week!

"We've been taking apprentices for at least ten years, and two of them are still with us.

"We firmly believe in taking on and nurturing young talent. It's the future."

Chippindale, which hires and sells a range of plant and tools, was established in 1949 and has depots across the north.

Its seven branches east of the Pennines have recently been bolstered with a presence in the north west following the company's acquisition of Stockport-based Wilmslow Plant Hire and its site accommodation division, AG Site Services.