As  you  may  have  realised  from  our  logo, the  family  connection with laundering goes  back a long way.  The original business was started when Martha Bates, my great grandmother, started taking in washing when her husband could find no work at the docks in London's East End.

As the business grew, they moved to progressively larger houses. During both wars the business marked time as family members joined the forces and in the late 1950,s now owned by two families both related to Martha we finally moved to a factory in Tottenham, North London. In 1973 I joined the business having served a seven year apprenticeship with the Company that eventually became Sunlight Service Group

By  the  late  1970’s the  South House & Elmhurst Laundry  as  it was then known,  had  outgrown  the  small factory and in 1982 when my father and uncle  retired  I  purchased  the  trading business and merged it with Purity Sweet Clean Laundry in Enfield Middlesex, another old family laundry.  Once again,   due  to  the  focus and  personal  service  that  the new business provided then trading as Royal Jersey, Enfield,  our growth continued and in 1999 we moved again,  to Leyton,  back where we started in London’s East End and re-branded as Bates of London in honour of the lady who started it all

We continue to see significant growth in our business as the industry continues to consolidate.  Our guestwork and drycleaning operation in Enfield North London is growing enabling us to offer a One Stop Shop for our Customers.

Now processing over three quaters of a million pieces a week and with two factories, supported by the best team in the business,  we  continue to offer unbeatable  quality,  service with dedicated account managers,  but above all   a   complete   package   that  simply   cannot be  matched  by  either independent operators or National Companies.