I feel a tiny bit fraudulent being the one to try and summarise the monumental achievement of reaching 100 years in business, as I myself am only in my 4th year working for Hickleys. Luckily, I have been able to draw on the memory and archive of the company chairman, Duncan Meikle. Duncan is in fact the grandson of Leonard Meikle who was one of the two original founders of Hickleys. The fact that the ownership is still in the original family is also reflected in the family values at the core of the company today, despite the staff numbers and turnover being orders of magnitude larger.
One thing that has struck me from the very beginning of my employment with Hickleys is that this is very much a people first company, exactly as you would expect in a family. When sitting down at the beginning of 2025 with Robin Huish, the companies managing director, it was clear that priority number one for celebrations was to bring all the staff together for a party. On the 5th April, 130 current and former staff, as well as some company friends were treated to a 3-course dinner at the Rumwell Orchard, followed by live music and plenty of refreshments. This was a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of the centenary year.
Hickleys originated in billet street, right here in Taunton in 1925. The business started as a battery service centre and very quickly diversified into the automotive industry, servicing local vehicles up to the present day. During the 1950s the company saw rapid growth, large enough to need to move premises not once but twice. Eventually the company moved to the purpose-built building in Castle Street, which still services as the headquarters today.
In the mid 60’s Hickleys entered the ‘refinish’ market, selling supplies for vehicle body repair shops. Between the 60’s and the late 90’s branches were opened or acquired all over the South-West. But not being a company to sit still, it was identified soon after this time that the refinish market was about to rapidly shrink. Hickleys sold that part of the business and moved into another area of rapid growth, the supply of vehicle diagnostic equipment. This was also accompanied by a move into Auto Locksmith supplies and technical support, which continues today. In 2025 Hickleys supply a vast range of garage and diagnostic equipment all over the UK and beyond.
Since 2001 Hickleys Healthcare has been selling mobility and healthcare products to care homes and at retail. The healthcare division boasts prescriptive specialists who are able to advise on important mobility scooters and power chairs. A much more detailed history of the company can be found in the book that we have compiled that is linked via the QR code below.
Various ‘100’ themed events will be happening at Hickleys until the end of the year to raise money for the Beacon Cancer Care unit at Musgrove Park Hospital. This was launched by our resident Ultra Marathon runner completing, Keith Smalldon who ran 100 miles in one weekend, raising just over £2500 in the process. We have also given away a centenary gift package to our 100th Auto Service Centre customer in May and will be doing the same in the Healthcare shop in June. Stay tuned to Hickleys social media for more information on further events and promotions that will be happening before the end of the year.
Richard Pimm
Hickleys Marketing