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Over 100 Years of Ideal Clothes Care Specialists & Laundry and the Leat Family

Ideal is a family-run business with more than a century of experience in professional laundry and garment care.
Founded in 1910, Ideal Clothes Care Specialists & Laundry has grown through five generations of the Leat family. While technology and methods have evolved over time, the values behind the business; quality, care and pride in workmanship, have remained the same.

Our Story Through the Years

1910
Freddie and Nancy Leat moved from the Kimberley (now the First and Last Pub) to Rockhampton, 84 Withycombe Village Road, and founded Ideal Hand Laundry in February 1910.
1918
Following demobilisation from the Army Air Corps after the First World War, Stanley joined his father in the business. Laundry was delivered by horse and cart throughout Exmouth and the Budleigh Salterton area.
1936
Stanley purchased the first motor van to cope with increased demand and growing turnover.
1938
On Freddie’s retirement, Stan and Vera took over the business and began modernising the hand laundry with machinery for washing and pressing.
1948
After demobilisation from the Royal Corps of Signals, Trevor joined his parents, continuing the modernisation of the business.
1955
Ideal acquired the turnover of the Budleigh Salterton Laundry and amalgamated it with the Withycombe operation.
1960
The Exmouth Steam Laundry Ltd, based in New North Road, Exmouth, was purchased. The Ideal operation at Withycombe was relocated and run together from the New North Road premises.
1965
On 12th November 1965, a fire almost destroyed the entire premises. A new building was secured in Pound Lane, where two new bays were constructed.
1966
On 16th March, the first loads of laundry were processed at Pound Lane and the business was fully operational again. This also marked the start of the dry cleaning side of the business.
1973
After leaving school, Simon joined Ideal, becoming the fourth generation of the Leat family to work in the business.
1976
The van rounds were sold to Victoria Laundry in Sidmouth, allowing Ideal to focus more strongly on dry cleaning.
The middle bay at Pound Lane was opened as the Ideal Freezer Centre, managed by Simon until it was later sold to Ansteys of Sidmouth, after which he returned fully to dry cleaning and laundry operations.
1985
Ideal Photo Express was opened at the Pound Lane site and operated for two years before being sold on.
1993
Trevor retired and sold the business to Simon.
2010
James Leat, the fifth generation of the family, joined Ideal Clothes Care Specialists & Laundry, with the Leat family looking ahead to the next 100 years of the business.
2011
Ideal Clothes Care Specialists & Laundry invested in Lagoon wet cleaning technology, marking a major step towards more environmentally responsible cleaning.
2012
All members of the Ideal Clothes Care Specialists & Laundry team achieved NVQ qualifications, becoming fully qualified laundry technicians.
2014
The latest environmentally friendly Lagoon Advanced Care wet cleaning system was installed, using zero solvents or toxic chemicals.
2021
Ideal Clothes Care Specialists & Laundry became the first laundry in Devon to invest in an Ozone Laundry System; a revolutionary, environmentally friendly technology designed by NASA and awarded the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Enterprise: Sustainable Development 2021.

Looking Forward

More than a century on, Ideal Clothes Care Specialists & Laundry remains proudly family-run, combining generations of experience with modern, environmentally responsible cleaning technology.
The same care, commitment and attention to detail that shaped the business in 1910 continue to guide everything we do today.
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