THE Southampton branch of Ableworld has been named the company’s ‘Franchise of the Year 2019’.

Run by director and store manager Jeff Newman and his son director and stairlift and engineering manager, Steven Newman, the Southampton store is Ableworld’s most successful franchise to date and has ambitions to become one of the largest mobility retailers on the south coast.

In the past six months, the store in Portsmouth Road, Woolston, has added new training facilities on the top floor aimed at offering regular free training to all healthcare professionals.

Last year the Southampton shop expanded to include a stairlift showroom featuring more than 10 fully operational stairlifts. More recently a Stiltz ‘Homelift’ has been installed allowing customers to travel between floors.