BUSINESS is booming for a fast-growing North-East firm whose service allows cashstrapped customers to give their kitchen a facelift rather than buy a new one.

As the fallout from swingeing cuts in public spending piles more pressure on consumers, Kitchen Surgeon is enjoying a surge in trade as homeowners look for new ways to keep up with the Joneses without breaking their budget.

The Stockton company can give your kitchen a whole new look – for a fraction of the cost of a new kitchen – using a number of techniques developed over many years of experience.

The firm, which services the Teesside area, has relaunched during the recession and is looking to expand into other parts of the North East as its service – complete with a specially-adapted kitchen ambulance – continues to enjoy soaring demand.

Kitchen Surgeon has been developed by John Baker, a seasoned kitchen fitter who saw a need to adapt quickly to the deteriorating trading environment caused by the global financial crash.

Instead of fitting a new kitchen, Mr Baker works with what is left of the kitchen cupboards to refurbish them to include soft-close option doors, drawers, handles and surfaces to give the room a new look, as well as providing new storage solutions.

He said: “When the recession started, the industry as a whole noticed a plunge in demand in new kitchens with many customers opting to sit tight and weather the storm before making any large purchases.

“Even though the worst may be over, many households are still facing the threat of redundancy, while many of those with houses previously up for sale have opted to stay put and instead make the best of what they already have.”