Who We Are

A Few Words From Sue Baisden, Managing Director of John’s Blinds Limited

Hi, I’m Sue Baisden, Managing Director of John’s Blinds & Curtains – thank you for taking the time to find out more about us.

A Business Built on Family Values

John’s Blinds has been proudly serving homes and businesses across Essex since 1975. It all began with John and Janet Margrain, who started the business with a stall at Romford Market and a simple idea – to provide quality blinds alongside friendly, personal service.

Over the years, their hard work, reputation and commitment to customers helped the business grow into a trusted local name.

Continuing the Journey

In 2008, my husband Steven and I took over the business after spending several years working alongside John and Janet. We shared the same passion for quality products, honest advice and excellent customer care, and wanted to continue building on the strong foundations they had created.

One of our goals was to make John’s Blinds a household name across Essex by 2018 – and thanks to our loyal customers and fantastic team, we’re proud to say we achieved that.

Today, we continue to grow while keeping those same family values at the heart of everything we do.

Proudly Based in Wickford

We now operate from our showroom and factory in Wickford, where many of our blinds are manufactured using trusted UK-sourced components. This allows us to maintain quality, offer faster turnarounds and focus on the details that matter.

From stylish blinds and curtains to plantation shutters, awnings and smart shading solutions, our experienced team works hard to help customers create practical and beautiful spaces throughout their homes and businesses.

Whether it’s a single window or a full property installation, every project receives the same level of care and attention.

Why Customers Choose Us

At John’s Blinds, we still believe in doing business the traditional way – with honesty, reliability and a friendly approach.

We don’t believe in pressure sales. Instead, we focus on listening, offering expert advice and helping customers choose solutions that genuinely work for their home, lifestyle and budget.

We’re not an online-only business or a temporary pop-up shop. We’re a long-established local company with a real showroom, a dedicated team and a passion for what we do.

Thank You

This business has been a huge part of my life for more than 20 years, and I couldn’t be prouder of what our team has achieved together.

If you’re considering blinds, curtains, plantation shutters or shading solutions for your home or business, we’d love to help. Whether you visit our Wickford showroom or arrange a home appointment, there will always be a friendly face ready to welcome you.

Thank you again for stopping by.

Sue Baisden
Managing Director
John’s Blinds & Curtains

Keeping it in the Family

John and Janet Margrain laid the foundations of our family business back in 1975, starting with a humble stall at Romford Market. From those early beginnings, they built a loyal customer base across Romford, Essex and the surrounding areas through hard work, honest advice and a genuine commitment to customer care.

Long before websites and social media existed, the business grew the traditional way – through word of mouth, recommendations and repeat customers who appreciated quality products and personal service.

“I can still remember when there used to be livestock in the Market,”
John Margrain, founder

Over the years, John became well known not only for supplying quality blinds, but also for his friendly approach and attention to detail. The business steadily expanded beyond the market stall into homes and businesses across Essex, building a reputation that still stands strong today.

Fast forward to 2006, when Steven and I welcomed our first child, Samuel. At the time, I was still working in the City while Steven began working alongside John a few days each week. What started as helping out soon became something much bigger.

Steven learned every part of the business from the ground up – from serving customers on the market stall to measuring and fitting blinds in homes across Essex. It gave him a real understanding of the standards and values John and Janet had built the business on over the previous 30 years.

It also became a true family effort. Janet would often help care for Samuel while Steven worked alongside John during the day, and before long the business had become a much bigger part of our lives than we had ever imagined.

In 2008, while I was expecting our daughter Emily, John approached us about taking over the business. After decades of hard work, he was preparing for retirement and wanted to ensure the company continued in the right hands.

For us, it never felt like just buying a business. John’s Blinds already had a strong local reputation, loyal customers and genuine family values at its heart. We knew it would have been a shame to let such a well-loved local company simply disappear.

So, we said yes.

We took over the business with a clear vision – to build upon the incredible foundations John and Janet had created while continuing the same honest, customer-focused approach that made the business so respected in the first place.

Since then, the business has continued to evolve and grow. From our showroom and factory in Wickford, we now supply and install blinds, curtains, plantation shutters, awnings and smart shading solutions across Essex and beyond, while still keeping those original family values at the centre of everything we do.

And as the saying goes… the rest is history.