Harborough businessman is awarded an OBE

The businessman, born and bred in Market Harborough, has been handed the accolade for services to business on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Honours List.

Tom, 53, who still lives near Market Harborough, is said to be delighted after being honoured by the Queen as the nation and Commonwealth unites to celebrate the monarch’s Platinum Jubilee this weekend.

The dad-of-three founded Joules 33 years ago in 1989, when he was just 21, as he began selling clothing on a stand at a country show in Leicestershire.

Known around the world, Joules has since boomed to become a multi-channel lifestyle brand delivering annual sales of almost £200 million.

The company boasts more than 140 stores across the UK and has built up a total “active customer base” of over 1.9 million.

Joules employs over 1,700 people.

The global business powerhouse is the biggest employer in Market Harborough.

And Joules opened their new £20 million state-of-the-art headquarters, the Joules Barn, on Rockingham Road last November to strengthen and reinforce their links with their hometown.

“Having delivered significant growth over the past 30 years, Joules is still known and loved for its distinctive use of humour, colour and unique prints, each of which is hand-drawn by the brand's talented in-house print design team at its headquarters,” said the company today.

Tom Joule gave the Harborough Mail an in-depth interview in January 2020 charting his meteoric rise to commercial success and you can read that article here: https://www.harboroughmail.co.uk/business/id-call-all-us-market-harborough-and-beyond-be-optimistic-and-positive-2020-says-harborough-entrepreneur-who-has-enjoyed-global-success-1348326