Jim plans to expand

Jun 24 2008 By Iain Laing

ONE of the best known characters in the region’s antiques trade is looking for new directions for his firm.

Jim Railton has been in the antiques business for more than 30 years and set up Philips International Fine Art’s saleroom in Newcastle in 1990 and 15 years ago set up his Northumberland business organising auctions in venues including Chilliingham Castle and Newcastle Racecourse.

And now he is taking part in a Design Council initiative to look at ways of expanding the business.

Mr Railton said: “Although business is very good, I have felt recently that new avenues have opened up and that there is potential to grow in different, exciting directions. I saw an advertisement for Designing Demand and it sounded like the perfect catalyst to explore these opportunities.”

Designing Demand is a national support programme which helps SMEs in using design to improve business performance. As a result of taking part, business owners can benefit from up to five days of free design consultancy advice.

Neil Wilson, Design Council Associate, said: “Jim’s business is already very well established, and he is well known as a real maverick character in the arts industry. The project we have worked on has essentially involved developing more insight that can inform Jim’s vision, improving the business’s use of technology and exploring more sophisticated methods of utilising the internet.”