about the company…

Band International was founded in the 1980’s by Will Pakenham-Walsh and Mike Davey. In the early 1990’s the company relocated to the Isle of Wight, and Will was joined by Maggie Cooke. Maggie and Will continued to run Band together for the next 20 years.

Maggie joined Band with many years of experience in management systems and accounts, working for a variety of companies and local government, as well as running her own accounting business. She and Will perfectly complemented one another; whilst Will roamed the country spreading goodwill and a degree of chaos, Maggie made sense of the resulting paper chase and kept a calm eye on proceedings. She has an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the business, its customers and suppliers. Now that her children have at least technically left home, Maggie divides her spare time between her four Border Collies and her long suffering husband, Peter, who now manages the transport and logistical side of the business.

Many customers will remember Ro Pakenham-Walsh with affection; Will’s eldest daughter, Ro had worked in the events industry for several years, and when she joined the team at Band in 2009 it was a strong possibility that she would eventually take over the reins, leaving Will to take a back seat. However, she decided that her true vocation lay in education, so after a return to university, she took up her first teaching position and is very happy encouraging her young charges to embrace an active lifestyle.

Will was joined by Maggie’s sister Cathy, who worked closely with Will to understand the ethos and technical side of the business. Cathy brought her many years of experience in purchasing, gained whilst working in the upper echelons of several of the country’s leading defence and aviation industries. Her knowledge of contract law among other gems has proved invaluable. Cathy lives with her husband Mike and two boisterous Airedale Terriers named Polly and Frieda. She is a keen gardener and also enjoys spending time in France.

Always known and loved by his customers as a free spirit, Will decided in 2014 that the call of the hills and beaches was too strong, and that he would hang up his mobile phone for good, and take to the roads in a converted VW named Doris. After several years of retirement, exploring, arranging his own daughter’s weddings (using Band chairs, of course) and enjoying his new grandchildren, Will was sadly diagnosed with cancer, and passed away peacefully in August of 2019.

Will was both an inspiration and a true friend to all of us here at Band and we miss him a great deal. His unique and strictly ethical way of conducting his business made him very many friends among both his customers and his suppliers.

Why choose Band International’s chairs?

  • All Band chairs are built to the highest quality standards, manufacturing to ISO9001 standards with strict adherence to our own quality code.
  • Band chairs are made from FSC Certified timber sourced from sustainably managed beech wood forests in Europe.
  • Band International chairs are not individually wrapped in bubble-wrap but instead come with a free, reusable stack sack, which protects a stack of 10 chairs and saving on waste, pollution and customers time.
  • Both our wooden and clear chairs are extremely strong. Traditional manufacturing techniques ensure they will withstand robust use by guests and staff alike.
  • The lightweight construction allows quick setting-up and clearing away before and after events.
    With 10 chairs weighing just 35kg, chairs can be transported by a standard 7 ton lorry, the compact and stable stackability of chairs makes for easy storage.
  • In the unlikely event they happen, breakages can be easily repaired as we carry a stock of spare parts.
  • Careful design allows 10 chairs around a standard 5 foot table. Extra large seats are available as an option, this has made our chairs particularly popular in the US market where size can be an important factor.

An ongoing commitment to quality in wedding and banqueting chair supply

Our commitment to our product goes much further than simply providing customers with chairs. We understand our customers’ business and will help to achieve their ambitions. We like to work closely with our customers, whom we see as long term partners rather than a short term source of profit. Our customers will tell you that you can rely on us not just only to solve any problems but also to assist with growing your business. We make every effort to meet the tightest of deadlines, we deliver on time to the remotest of places and above all, we ensure that your customers view you with the same respect that our customers view us.

If you would like to discuss your own specific requirements and would like more information on our chairs and prices, then call us now on
+44 (0) 1983 755 858 or email us at enquiries@band.co.uk.