Factory Friday: William Love, Westend Cabinet Makers

William Love is a cabinetmaker, creating bespoke furniture, interiors, and artwork from his workshop in Maryhill, Glasgow. Our visit to William Love's workshop back in February left us wanting to know more, so as part of our Factory Friday series we interviewed him about his work. 

How did you get into Cabinet Making? 

Many, many years ago there was a youth training scheme called the YTS. When I was about 18, I started this year long training scheme. After that I got myself a week’s training at a Cabinet Makers in Barrhead. I got onto the apprenticeship there which was 4 years long, and ended up spending 7 years there. It was fantastic, at the time it was the biggest and best Cabinet Maker in Scotland. I was involved in some amazing jobs there, working on some long term restoration projects. All the apprentices that I met there, they all run their own cabinet making companies now. We’ve got a lot to be thankful for, for that one guy who took the time to teach us all. 

So, do you take on apprentices at Westend Cabinet Makers? 

Yeh, we take on school kids. Smart, clever kids but who maybe aren’t that academic and have kind of been failed by the system. Cabinet Making is fantastic for them, it really brings out their creative side and every job is a challenge. They work with me for a year, then they’ll go and do an HNC in College, and after that they’ll come back and get a job with me.

Where can we see your work out in the world?

Most of the work that I do now is domestic, so it’s behind closed doors unless you happen to know them. There are lots of public place where you can see work I’ve done – St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, House for an Art Lover. Then there’s the artwork – you know stuff that’s been exhibited for Turner Prizes and the Venice Biennale. We laugh cos it’s all made in Maryhill, then gets sent off to Tokyo to some millionaire's house.

What advice would you give to makers starting up a business now?

Get a good accountant! Accountancy is the biggest problem. As a small company you're treated like a large company. There's no help for small companies. Cash flow is the hardest thing to control. You’ve got all these balls in the air, hoping that they all land in the right order. You get a late cheque and that’s it. It’s not because you’re not talented at what you do, it’s just a side of the business that you don’t usually give much thought to.

How has Cabinet Making changed over the years?

It’s definitely more mechanised, and the use of computers has changed the way some things are done. Actually developments in glue technology have really changed how things are made, and how they look. But it’s really just as exciting as the day I started. There’s always something that’s never been done before, or I’ll be using some kind of new material. Every day is a learning day, you’ve got to move with the times. There will always be a position for handmade furniture. It has changed, when I started there were a few big companies, whereas now it’s a far more splintered industry with lots of small companies doing their own thing, but it’s a pretty buoyant industry. One of the big changes has been to the apprenticeship schemes – you used to be able to study part time and still earn a wage, now you need to commit to full time study, and be looking for bursaries.

Can you tell us about a particular project that you’ve really enjoyed making?

This is the hardest question in the world.

The historical stuff is great – the ones that are gonna last longer than me. One day I took the kids down to Edinburgh and did a tour of my work – St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle etc...

The one that I'm most excited about is the one that I'm working on at the moment. I’ll throw everything at it and by the time it's done and it's installed, I'm on to the next one. I hate looking back, I want to look forward. If you keep looking back you end up resting on your laurels.

To find out more and get in touch with Westend Cabinet Maker view their listing on Make Works here

Wondering whether you should be getting an apprentice or an intern? To explore the issue, we’ve asked some of the manufacturing companies that we work with about their experience of working with apprentices and interns. Read more here