Powys business Hafren Furnishers celebrate 60th anniversary
The family-run Powys business has flourished since it was founded by Mike Morgan spotting a market while working his milk round in the Llanidloes area in 1965.
What started by offering his customers to buy small pieces of furniture direct from his milk float, has evolved to two stores showcasing the latest collections for the home and home office.
Today, the business is run by Mike's son Tim along with an experienced and knowledgeable team supporting him, operating the flagship store in Llanidloes and a showroom in Llanbadarn Fawr, on the outskirts of Aberystwyth.
Both stores offer dedicated Bed Studios, where customers can try out multiple bed brands at their leisure, experience state-of-the-art in-store Stressless recliner studios, and browse the latest ranges of living room, dining room, bedroom and conservatory furniture. Giftware, bedding and accessories, rugs, lamps and pictures feature too.
"The philosophy remains unchanged from 60 years ago," said Hafren Furnishers director Tim Morgan, "offer customers leading furniture brands at the best possible prices with exceptional service and free delivery across England and Wales.
"This has earned Hafren an enviable reputation amongst its loyal customer base and within the furniture industry itself."
To mark the family-run business' milestone year, a summer sale will run from Monday, July 21, to coincide with the Royal Welsh Show, until the end of August. Exclusive offers will be available across all leading furniture brands, across both stores and online.
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2 days ago
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‘Could I save tax by investing what remains of my pension lump sum?'
Email your tax questions to Mike at: taxhacks@ * Dear Mike, My wife and I are in our 60s and have been retired for several years. I get the full state pension, and we supplement this with monthly drawdown amounts from our Sipps (self-invested personal pensions). We have cash Isas, stocks and shares Isas, and Premium Bonds, which we use for holiday spending. We have no company pensions. I have been looking for the most tax-efficient ways of accessing my Sipp funds, as all my personal allowance is used up by the state pension and all withdrawals (except the 25pc tax-free lump sum part) are subject to 20pc tax. I have about £100,000 left of my tax-free amount still to use. One thing I am considering is taking the tax-free amount in one lump and placing it in a general investment account. I would invest in bond funds and dividend-paying shares and draw regular amounts from this pot, rather than from the Sipps. These dividends would only attract tax at 8.75pc rather than 20pc, which is a considerable difference. There would also be capital gains tax to pay if I sold the holdings, but even that would become zero if held until death. Am I missing something? Best wishes, Andy Dear Andy, You have understood and explained the rules correctly, and your question has helpfully prompted me to explain the process in more detail. Some of the background may help in this. It was a happy coincidence that when the coalition government was formed in 2010, George Osborne was able to call on the services of the highly able Lib Dem MP, Sir Steve Webb, to become his pensions minister. Between them they radically changed the pensions industry for the better with the introduction of the pension freedoms we enjoy today. Before the change, members of defined-contribution (DC) pension funds were forced to buy an annuity by the time they reached age 75, regardless of the state of the annuity market at the time. 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Incidentally, this does not change my view that it is better for the executors to select their professional advisers, rather than having solicitors named as executors in the will. – Mike Mike Warburton was previously a tax director with accountants Grant Thornton and is now retired. His columns should not be taken as advice, or as a personal recommendation, but as a starting point for readers to undertake their own further research.
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