CHARLES Wallace, one of the senior members of the Government’s Office of Fair Trading, is visiting the headquarters of the Carpet Foundation in Kidderminster tomorrow.

The event is to mark the Foundation, which represents manufacturers nationwide, being only the seventh organisation in the country - and the only one in the West Midlands - to have secured Office of Fair Trading approval for the selling practices of its 1,000 retailers.

Mr Wallace, the OFT’s head of consumer codes and estate agency enforcement, will meet officers and members of the trade association at its premises in New Road, Kidderminster, to discuss current practices.

“At a time when confidence is low and consumers want peace of mind and security, the Office of Fair Trading provides reassurance, while independent carpet retailers are proof that knowledge, expertise, service and back up can win out over the cowboys or joyless faceless chains or indeed the internet,” said Rupert Anton of the Federation.

“Charles Wallace is a very senior figure within the Office of Fair Trading and we are fortunate that he is taking the trouble to visit us.”