A much-loved Milton Keynes business is celebrating a major milestone this year, marking 40 years since the opening of its very first shop in Bletchley.
Partyrama began life in 1985 when the founders opened a small party shop on Queensway. The first shop wasn’t part of a grand plan. The family had originally been looking for a location near Leighton Buzzard when a tiny advert in Dalton’s Weekly for a cook shop on Queensway caught their attention. They drove down the next day, parked outside, and spent hours watching people go by. After carefully considering how many customers were likely to visit and what they might spend, they realised that Bletchley was a proper high street with real potential. They loved that the town had everything: big stores nearby and a steady flow of locals who supported their shops. That’s how Cookmate—now Partyrama—was born, and the family has been part of the Bletchley community ever since.
Following the success of the first store, a second opened at the Kingston Centre in 1988. As the online side of the business flourished, Partyrama expanded into warehousing to meet growing demand. Today, the company operates from a 26,000-square-foot distribution centre in Milton Keynes, sending thousands of orders across the UK every week. Last year, the team passed the impressive milestone of three million orders dispatched nationwide.
Despite its growth into a national brand, Partyrama has remained true to its family-run spirit. The business is now led by the founders’ children: Nitin oversees overall operations, Raj manages online development and SEO, and middle brother Sarab takes care of HR and administration. Shilpa runs the Bletchley and Kingston stores and also serves as the company’s Balloon Professional and Event Specialist, helping customers make their celebrations truly special.
Even though Partyrama has grown into a national business, Milton Keynes remains its home. Everything the company has built started right there in Bletchley, and the family is proud to continue serving the same community that gave them their first chance.
From its early days on the high street to becoming a major online name, Partyrama’s story is one of family, community, and celebration—and it all started right here in Bletchley.
"Our journey began with a small shop on a bustling high street, and over 40 years later, Milton Keynes is still at the heart of everything we do. We’re proud that our family business has grown while staying true to the community that welcomed us from the very start."
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