Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

News Archive February 2017

Home Hardware wins top housewares wholesaler award 27 February 2017

Home Hardware had cause to celebrate recently when the dealer-owned wholesaler was awarded Britain's Best Housewares Wholesaler Award at the Housewares Innovation Awards 2017.


Bord na Mona named Wyevale Supplier of the Year 27 February 2017

Bord na Móna UK has been awarded ‘Supplier of the Year’ at the recent Wyevale Spring Show.


Garden retailers invited to Plantfest at Hereford nurseries 27 February 2017

Retailers are being invited to two nurseries in Hereford this March to attend their PlantFest.


HTA and APL shortlisted for awards 24 February 2017

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) have been shortlisted for a number of awards relating to their events, publications and website.


Christmasworld 2017 hailed a “complete success” 24 February 2017

Organisers have reported another successful Christmasworld tradeshow, with more than 10,700 trade buyers attending across the seasonal trade event and sister shows Paperworld and Creativeworld


Analysts give ‘sell’ rating for Kingfisher stock 23 February 2017

B&Q and Screwfix parent, Kingfisher plc has earned an average ‘sell’ rating for its stock this week, as investor analysts covering the company asses its share performanc


Greater call for British-made products 23 February 2017

Demand for UK-made goods increased in recent months, with total order books improving further, but prices are expected to ris


Garden centre loses High Court battle over green belt row 22 February 2017

Hare Hatch Sheeplands, near Twyford, has lost a battle in the High Court over its use of green belt land.


B&Q recalls 25 'dangerous' light fittings 22 February 2017

B&Q has recalled 25 light fittings sold in its stores between February 2014 and February 2017 due to the risk of parts falling from the fixtures and injuring people.


Jewson promises pay increase for staff 21 February 2017

Builders merchant, Jewson has announced plans to increase its employees’ wages ahead of the Government’s introduction of the National Living Wage later this year.


Dobbies and Decco to speak at GIMA Day Conference 20 February 2017

The Garden Industry Manufacturer's Association (GIMA) has announced that Dobbies Garden Centres ceo John Cleland and Decco's ceo designate Charlie Lacey will be speaking at the next GIMA day conference.


Axminster Tools recognised as a top 250 ecommerce retailer 17 February 2017

Devon-based Axminster Tools & Machinery has recently been listed in the top 250 ecommerce and cross-channel retailers as detailed in the Internet Retailing UK (IRUK) Top 500 report 2017, moving up a level from the top 350 group where the company was placed in 2016.


AMA Market Report: Mixed bag for DIY and building products 17 February 2017

The UK building and home improvement products distribution market is a large, mature market and as such tends to experience modest year on year change.


Doors close on Totally as show reveals new branding for next year 16 February 2017

Totally DIY & Tools closed doors on this year's two-day exhibition at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, this week – but plans are already underway to re-brand the event as the National DIY Show and move its February date to June.


North Shields hardware shop to close after 150 years 16 February 2017

Gladston's of North Shields is closing down in April after more than 150 years trading in the Tyne and Wear area.


B&Q to open first 'small format' store in London 16 February 2017

DIY giant B&Q will be opening its first 3,000sq ft 'small format' store on Holloway Road, London, next month.


Bunnings reveals locations of the three further UK pilot stores 15 February 2017

Bunnings UK has released details of the three remaining pilot stores, with a second earmarked for St Albans in April and the other two planned for Hemel Hempstead and Milton Keynes.


Wesfarmers reveals £28m pre-tax loss for Homebase 15 February 2017

Homebase's new parent group Wesfarmers has released figures for the six months ending December 31, 2016, revealing an operating revenue for Bunnings UK and Ireland of £612 million with a loss before tax and interest of £28 million.


Tree sales up 22% at Wyevale Nurseries 13 February 2017

Hereford-based Wyevale Nurseries has revealed that its tree sales were up 22% year-on-year from August 2016 until January 31, 2017.


Profits slide at Dunelm Mill 10 February 2017

Profit before tax dropped by 11.3% at Dunelm Mill during the 26 weeks to December 31, 2016, despite a 2.8% upturn in sales – boosted, in part, by the retailer's acquisition of Worldstores.


Screwfix opens its 500th store 10 February 2017

Kingfisher retailer Screwfix is celebrating its 500th store milestone with the opening of its new Enfield branch, the second in the area, which will create 15 new jobs.


DIY exhibitors largely happy as Spring Fair closes 9 February 2017

Spring Fair closed what was, for DIY exhibitors at least, a long six day run today, with organisers and exhibitors alike heralding the show – and its new foray into DIY – a success.


“Big box DIY stores are losing relevance” 9 February 2017

Other channels, says the show's organisers Fediyma and EDRA, are growing while big box stores are missing out, with e- and mobile-commerce, speciality and pop-up stores, small formats and showrooms all growing in appeal.


Excellence applauded: DIY Week Awards 2017 9 February 2017

The best products, businesses and individuals of DIY and gardening were celebrated on Tuesday, February 7 as the industry came together for the 2017 DIY Week Awards.


Bunnings bins zero-hour contracts 6 February 2017

Bunnings, which bought out Homebase from Home Retail Group in a £340m deal last year and opened its first pilot UK store last week, has scrapped zero-hour contracts for its British employees.


Glee to become biannual with concession show at Spring Fair 6 February 2017

The Glee show is to become a biannual event with the announcement that it will be opening a concession show at next year's Spring Fair show.


Argos distribution centre to be relocated, putting 129 jobs at risk 6 February 2017

Logistics firm DHL has revealed plans to relocate the Argos distribution centre in Stafford, putting 129 jobs at risk of redundancy.


Hillview acquires its eleventh garden centre 6 February 2017

The Hillview Garden Centre group has bought out Shipley Garden Centre in Derbyshire, bringing its total number of centres to 11.


Squire's opens re-vamped Chertsey branch 3 February 2017

Squire’s Garden Centre in Chertsey is now open after a complete re-build.


One in three homeowners opt to 'improve not move' in wake of Brexit 3 February 2017

DIY retailers could get a boost this year from the 27% of homeowners who have cancelled plans to move house in the wake of the Brexit vote, according to a new infographic released by Spring Fair.


BRC reveals a new wave of cyber crime against shops 2 February 2017

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has revealed a 40% increase in violence and abuse against retail staff in the UK over the last year, and pointed out that 53% of retail fraud is now cyber-enabled.


UK's first Bunnings Warehouse opens for business 2 February 2017

The first Hombease-Bunnings conversion is complete, with a brand new Bunnings Warehouse – the country's first – opening for business today.


B&Q and Argos among retailers to lose fight against MasterCard charges 1 February 2017

A group of retailers including B&Q, Argos, Next, Debenhams, House of Fraser and the Arcadia Group, recently lost a major court case against MasterCard regarding the fees they were charged for processing card payments.


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