THERE must be a weight of expectation on your shoulders when you are the sixth generation to run the family firm.

However, Tom Elliott seems to carry his load lightly.

The 32-year-old has been managing director of Southampton-based builders merchants Elliotts - founded in 1842 and one the city’s oldest businesses - for the last two years.

“There was never overt pressure to the join the business but I never felt there was any other option,” said Tom, who looks about ten years younger than his age.

“It’s an exciting opportunity and I absolutely love it.”

Tom trained as an accountant and made a conscious effort to gain a breadth of experience away from the family business.

He worked for engineering giant Smiths in their aerospace and medical divisions before returning to Elliotts to become financial director, a role he held for four years before stepping up to MD.

Tom succeeded his father Stuart, who is now chairman.

Dad has resisted the temptation to be back set driver, explains Tom.

“He has been remarkable,“ said Tom. “Especially as when I change something I am challenging what he has set up in the past. I’m sure he bites his tongue all the time.”

The big change that Tom is taking the firm into is the space occupied by the likes of Homebase, B&Q and Ikea by opening kitchen and bathroom showrooms at its branches in Ringwood, Fareham and, Romsey which are to be branded Living Spaces at Elliotts.

Living Spaces was developed to reach beyond the trade to the private market or “end users” as Tom describes them.

This move was triggered by the successful acquisition, in 2014, of Hardley Kitchens and Bathrooms in Lymington, which will also be rebranded as a Living Spaces.

Although Elliotts had always sold kitchens and bathrooms they were seen, predominantly, to be at the trade end of the market.

With the more up-market Hardleys in their stable, Elliotts saw their turnover in kitchens and bathrooms double from £3 million to £6 million.

This does not mean that Elliotts is moving away from its core business in bricks and mortar. In fact that side of the business has also expanded on Tom’s watch with new branches of Elliotts opening in Tadley and Christchurch. And it’s far from being “dirty”.

“We might be a builders' merchants but I don’t see why we cannot present ourselves in the same way as John Lewis,” explains Tom.

There is also a thriving roofing business —- which has roofed Crest Nicholson’s Centenary Wharf development at Woolston and the Southampton’s arts block for McLaren – and a renewables arm which deals with solar panel installation and ground source heat pumps.

In the last two years Elliotts, which employs close to 300, has seen its turnover rise from £56 million in 2014 to £70 million last year.

Does this make the company an attractive proposition for takeover by one of its national rivals?

‘No’ is the definite answer. “I’m sure some of our national rivals would love to snap us up but I’m not interested,” commented Tom.