UK: Princess Anne visits Barker Shoes factory
The Northamptonshire factor of UK-based shoe manufacturer, Barker Shoes, was recently visited by Princess Anne, who unveiled a plaque commemorating its 130th anniversary last year.
The Queen Mother opened the doors to the new factory 25 years ago in 1956. On 18 November, 2011, Princess Anne was welcomed by a lined street of people waving Union Flags.
The princess was introduced to local dignitaries before being taken on a tour of the factory by Alan Pringle, managing director of Barker Shoes. She spent over an hour talking to employees about their roles and was interested in the various production processes.
The princess then joined the 70 or so UK and international customers including buyers from Russia, Europe, the Middle East, South Korea and China to unveil a plaque to commemorate the shoe maker’s 130th anniversary.
Princess Anne praised the brand for its “fantastic commitment to shoe manufacturing”, highlighting how “important Barker Shoes is to the local area of Northampton and for Britain due to the fantastic job it has done in exporting its goods”.
