A. Perry has announced the retirement of a long-serving employee at the age of 82, bringing to a close an extraordinary career as the only individual to have worked directly with all four generations of the Perry family.
Barry Loughran retires after an exceptional 67 years of service. He began his career on the factory floor as a toolmaker under the company’s founder, Arthur Perry. Over the decades, he worked alongside successive generations of the family – including Ernie and Alan – and most recently under the current leadership team headed by Managing Director Guy Perry, eventually rising to the role of factory supervisor.
Although Loughran officially announced his retirement at 65, he continued to support the business four days a week as what colleagues fondly described as an “extra pair of hands”. Without holding a formal title, he remained actively involved across the site, assisting in the factory, driving delivery vehicles, building exhibition stands at trade shows across the country and carrying out general maintenance work.
A. Perry traditionally awards a gold watch to employees who reach 25 years of service, but Loughran is among the very few in the company’s 100-year history to have received two. To mark his 60th year with the business in 2019, the Perry family hosted a celebration in his honour, attended by 250 guests.
When asked what he would like as a retirement gift, Loughran’s response reflected his character – he simply requested a Perry wheelbarrow. The company duly granted his wish, along with a three-night VIP stay at Studley Castle to mark the occasion.
“Sixty-seven years of loyalty, hard work and quietly getting on with the job, in the way only Barry can. The place simply won’t be the same without him, and we are going to miss him more than he knows. On behalf of everyone at A. Perry, thank you, Barry, for everything – and please don’t be a stranger,” said Guy Perry.
