Our Story
As a result of local demand, Philip Pratt established a bell rope making business in 2007. We started by acquiring an order for a set of bell ropes, before having the equipment or knowledge to make one.
As a company we are recognised by the Heritage Crafts association by featuring on their Red List of Endangered Crafts.
Over time the business has grown steadily and we now have bell ropes in towers throughout the United Kingdom, Netherlands, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Since the outset we have started entirely from scratch, we have not been shown how to make bell ropes and neither have we had a head-start with redundant equipment. We have had to design our own machinery, learn our own techniques and implement lean manufacturing to bring about a product everyone has come to love.
We have worked hard to source natural materials and use traditional skills to produce high quality bell ropes. Our wool is sheared, processed, and dyed all without leaving the UK, our Pre-Stretched Polyester rope is UK made. We are a proud supporter of British Wool and are licensee of the British Wool Mark.
We are able to supply bell ropes made from both Hemp and Flax fibre. Both our Hemp and Flax is sourced directly from mills in southern Europe.
An overview of our timeline;
We have developed the necessary skills within the workforce and manufactured our own dedicated bell rope making machinery, and ancillary equipment which is automated with state of the art computer controlled programming to ensure accurate and repeatable control over the manufacturing process.
We pride ourselves on our quality of workmanship, our attention to customer requirements and our aim to meet our promises on deliveries.
Avon Ropes Ltd is registered in England No. 11552159, VAT registration number GB420682907 and EORI Number GB420682907000.
As a company we are recognised by the Heritage Crafts association by featuring on their Red List of Endangered Crafts.
Over time the business has grown steadily and we now have bell ropes in towers throughout the United Kingdom, Netherlands, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Since the outset we have started entirely from scratch, we have not been shown how to make bell ropes and neither have we had a head-start with redundant equipment. We have had to design our own machinery, learn our own techniques and implement lean manufacturing to bring about a product everyone has come to love.
We have worked hard to source natural materials and use traditional skills to produce high quality bell ropes. Our wool is sheared, processed, and dyed all without leaving the UK, our Pre-Stretched Polyester rope is UK made. We are a proud supporter of British Wool and are licensee of the British Wool Mark.
We are able to supply bell ropes made from both Hemp and Flax fibre. Both our Hemp and Flax is sourced directly from mills in southern Europe.
An overview of our timeline;
- In early 2006 we attracted an order for a set of 12 bell ropes, prior to having any ability or knowledge about making one bell rope.
- In 2006 we built our first rope making machine and started experimenting with how to make bell ropes, making lots of mistakes and learning the technique as we went along.
- In 2007 we completed our first set of 12 bell ropes, the year we started trading.
- In 2007 we perfected the 'machine splice' - a way of joining the natural rope to a man made top end that is entirely unique to bell ropes but has been used by our competitors since the 1970s.
- In 2008 Patent granted to us for using Dyneema® or any braided rope in use with a bell rope.
- In 2011 we re-located the business to the suburbs of North East Bristol.
- In 2017 we built another rope machine which we call our 'mini rope walk' and this enabled us to further increase our product range to include light pull bell ropes and mini ring ropes, and the smallest model bell ropes, something that is not possible on our larger machinery.
- In 2018 the business was incorporated as a Ltd company, registered in England Company number 11552159.
- In 2019 we acquired the Peter Minchin rope making machine which we have restored in 2022 and first exhibited it at the 2022 Nottingham CCCBR Roadshow along with other places since.
- In 2020 we developed with one of our suppliers a product we call "UHMPP". It is a braided rope, giving a matching performance for bell ropes to Dyneema®. UHMPP has very similar stretch performance and construction similar to Dyneema top ends for bell ropes, but without the huge high end breaking strain of Dyneema® which is not needed for bell ropes and at a mid price point.
- In 2020 a couple of our employees underwent training and assessment to fell and process trees to NPTC CS30/31/32. Since then we have felled numerous locally grown trees, primarily Ash which have since been boarded up and are seasoning for making into stays, other timber goods and timber shafted clappers.
- In 2021 we acquired the "Big Wilf's Bell Muffles" brand when Big Wilf himself retired. This included the equipment, archive of all historic orders, tooling, design and have upskilled our workforce to continue to manufacture the excellent product. Additionally we have invested heavily in additional technology to assist in the manufacture, consistency and quality of muffles, but fundamentally the product remains unchanged. The additional technology enables us to manufacture other leather goods too in house, which you'll find on our Sundries page or our online shop.
- In 2022 we became a UK VAT registered business and added the page about VAT to our website, as a grant to the value of the VAT can, in most cases be recovered.
- In 2023 to meet growing demand we have taken on additional staff and invested in additional machinery to meet demands.
- In 2024 we found somewhere to re-locate to and embarked on moving to new premises. We will be opening in the new premises in 2025 giving us more space to meet demand.
- In 2025 we opened in our new workshop at Unit 4 Avondale Works, Bristol, BS15 1QH.
We have developed the necessary skills within the workforce and manufactured our own dedicated bell rope making machinery, and ancillary equipment which is automated with state of the art computer controlled programming to ensure accurate and repeatable control over the manufacturing process.
We pride ourselves on our quality of workmanship, our attention to customer requirements and our aim to meet our promises on deliveries.
Avon Ropes Ltd is registered in England No. 11552159, VAT registration number GB420682907 and EORI Number GB420682907000.
