Love's in the battery (From Swindon Advertiser)

Love's in the battery

This Valentine’s Day, husband and wife team Jacqualine and Graham Bultitude will be celebrating a double romance – their marriage of 40 years and their passion for the family business, Bristol Batteries, based in Bristol, which that they have run for nearly four decades. Working with your spouse may seem like many people’s worst nightmare but for this couple it’s both personally and professionally ideal.

The couple met at College of Commerce in Bristol, when Jacqualine was 16 years old and Graham was 18 years old and got married in 1970.

Since setting up the company in 1972, Bristol Batteries has continued to expand on the back of sustained growth and recently opened new headquarters on Albert Road, in the city.

Graham said: “Business is a challenge in itself, let alone working with and being married to your partner for the best part of four decades.

“While we have been in business since the 70s, we still have ambitious plans to grow the company further.”

Jacqualine adds: “To have such a successful marriage and business you need to make decisions together and be honest with each other when you disagree rather than falling out. It is also critical that you don’t let work dominate when you are at home.”

The company, which has other branches in Swindon, Exeter, Plymouth and Truro, today has around 5,000 commercial clients, covering the full spectrum of users from architects and project managers to Government departments; from national and local companies to individual traders and end customers.

The company source batteries, including leading brands such as Varta, Exide, Yuasa and Enersys from the UK, Europe and across the world.