07/06/2026
The Mayor of Cheshire East, Councillor Judy Snowball, visited Curtains and Comfort Interiors in Alsager to meet the family team behind one of the town's long-established businesses.
Curtains and Comfort Interiors traces its roots back to the 1960s, when Harry Steele founded the original business, Tower Furnishings, in nearby Tunstall.
With four young children to support alongside his wife, Sheila Steele, Harry made the brave decision to strike out on his own, building a business around his passion for upholstery and furniture repairs.
Harry moved the family to Alsager and rented premises on Crewe Road, where he continued to develop the business. The former shop unit is now Indian Heaven, a restaurant which son, John Steele, and his family still visit.
John said: "When I walk in, memories still flood back of being a child and watching my dad (Harry) sew, pleat and trim - sometimes under a magnifying glass to get the detail just right. I remember making buttons, stripping furniture and hiding in the fabric rolls. My dad would be very proud to see his grandsons working in the industry.”
Harry passed away in 2012, and John took over the reins from his father, continuing to build the company into an established and trusted name in Alsager with his sons and nephew.
John added: "Having the Mayor of Cheshire East come and visit us will be a huge boost. My dad would have been proud to see what we've done with the business, and so would my mum."
Today, Curtains and Comfort Interiors offer a modern range of products and services, including curtains, blinds, shutters, awnings, plus smart technology and automation and traditional upholstery.
Much of the detailed upoholstery sewing work is still carried out on site, with John and the team regularly working on the sewing machines in the back workshop.
The business has grown largely through word-of-mouth recommendations and customer reviews, without any traditional marketing.
John said: "Over the past five years, we've made some significant changes to how we do business and that is giving us some very positive results."
