News Archive August 2016
Garden industry gears up for Glee
31 August 2016
With just weeks to go until the doors to Glee 2016 are thrown open at the Birmingham NEC from September 12-14, what can visitors expect from this year's exhibition?
BHS shuts up shop for good
30 August 2016
After 88 years on high streets all over the UK, the last BHS store closed for good over the bank holiday weekend.
B&Q trials use of avatars for customer DIY queries
30 August 2016
B&Q is reportedly trialing the use of avatars, controlled in real time by in-customer assistants, to answer customer queries.
New garden centre supply chain solution launched
26 August 2016
A new consolidated supply chain service, tailored to the needs of garden centres and garden retail suppliers has been launched by a partnership including specialist in product sourcing, development and distribution, Highgrove and BRC-accredited supply chain infrastructure provider, Oakland International.
Briers joins BHETA
26 August 2016
Garden gloves brand Briers is the latest garden supplier to join BHETA.
Ikea to open Westfield order and collection point
25 August 2016
Next week will see Ikea opening the doors of its new Westfield Stratford city order and collection point.
Leekes undergoes major expansion at Pontyclun store
25 August 2016
Welsh home retailer Leekes has created 25 new jobs with the completion of a major expansion at its Pontyclun-based warehouse.
"Steady sales" reported at Homebase since Wesfarmers acquisition
24 August 2016
In its latest financial report, Homebase's new parent group Wesfarmers has reported sales of £512m at the former HRG-owned retailer during the four months of its ownership. On a like-for-like trading basis for the period from completion to the end of June, transactions were up 7.5%.
Bunnings promises new jobs as it closes Habitat concessions
23 August 2016
A Habitat store in Bath, which has been operating from a Homebase warehouse for less than a year, is set to close in early September.
Three-year-old crushed by wall in carpet shop
22 August 2016
A three-year-old boy was airlifted to hospital after being crushed by an MDF wall in Frank's The Flooring Store in Darlington on Sunday.
UK lighting market worth over £2bn
19 August 2016
A new report by AMA Research has revealed that the UK lighting market reached more than £2bn in worth last year, an increase of 13% on 2014.
Stax Big Brands show named "biggest ever"
19 August 2016
Now in its sixth year, the Big Brands Trade Shows looks set to be the biggest in Stax history, with more than 150 brands already signed up to attend the two shows this September and October.
Kingfisher Q2 sales show no negative impact from Brexit vote
18 August 2016
B&Q and Screwfix's parent company Kingfisher has seen total sales rise 8.4% in the three months to July 31, with like-for-likes in Britain and Ireland up 7.2%.
Ex-BHS boss told to get off his yacht and sort BHS crisis
18 August 2016
Sir Philip Green has reportedly been "urged to stop swanning about on his yacht" and fly back to the UK to sort out the BHS pension deficit as he told MPs he would.
Stax and West Brom raise money for children's hospital
17 August 2016
West Bromwich midfield star Craig Gardner recently visited Midlands trade supplier, Stax Trade Centres, to present a signed shirt on behalf of the club following a charity raffle.
Ruxley Rose finalists announced
16 August 2016
The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has announced today (August 15, 2016) the names of the finalist garden centres in its Ruxley Rose competition.
GCA announces area award winners
15 August 2016
The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has recently revealed its area award winners during presentations held at member garden centres.
Innovative DIY invention stuns on Dragons' Den
15 August 2016
Despite a slightly stumbling presentation on popular BBC show Dragons' Den, Martin and Jenny Chard's invention Marxman received offers from all five dragons.
DIY Shoot raises £9k for Rainy Day Trust
15 August 2016
More than £9,000 was raised for the home improvement industry charity, the Rainy Day Trust, by the 2016 DIY & Home Enhancement Charity Clay Shoot.
B&M opens 100th garden centre store
15 August 2016
Discount retail giant B&M opened its centenary garden centre store this week, taking the opportunity to outline plans for 10 more garden centres in 2016.
Man gets stuck upside down at garden centre
11 August 2016
Firefighters were called out to Wyevale's Windlesham Garden Centre last week when a man fell two metres between two metal shipping containers and became stuck.
Poor-performing All-in-One Knutsford GC closes down
11 August 2016
All-In-One Garden Centre has closed its Knutsford branch due to "unsustainable poor financial performance."
London hardware store to close after 80 years
10 August 2016
Bowes Hardware & Gardening, which is the oldest shop on Cockfosters Road in North London, is to close its doors after 80 years.
Notcutts posts a 20% rise in profits
10 August 2016
Family-owned Notcutts Garden Centre group has revealed a 20% rise in operating profits for its latest financial year.
Retail begins to pick up in July despite Brexit
9 August 2016
Sales picked up in July, according to the latest report from the British Retail Consortium, and retail grew at its fastest pace since January.
Former Marine builds breathing pump from B&Q parts
8 August 2016
A former Royal Marine has reportedly built a DIY breathing device for his ailing mother out of parts bought from B&Q and Halfords.
Walney man escapes jail after defrauding B&Q store
8 August 2016
A man from Walney has been fined after pleading guilty to defrauding B&Q in Barrow by exchanging goods he hadn't bought from there for store credit.
Ryder supplies trailers to Topps Tiles
8 August 2016
Ryder has become the sole trailer supplier to Topps Tiles, the UK's largest tile specialist retailer. The contract has commenced with Ryder supplying 17 trailers, which herald the introduction of Topps Tiles' new livery.
Burgon & Ball supports new generation garden design
5 August 2016
Burgon & Ball has been encouraging young garden design talent with support for Lilly Gomm, a finalist in the RHS Young Designer competition at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.
Next reveals slight recovery for second quarter
4 August 2016
Full price sales at Next for the second quarter to July 30 were up 0.3% on last year, and showed improvement on the first quarter.
Wickes results reflects "significant uncertainty" post-Brexit
2 August 2016
Travis Perkins, the parent group of Wickes and Toolstation, has reported a 6.5% like-for-like increase and 10.5% sales rise in its half-year trade results to June 30.
Squire's celebrates 80 years with floral competition
1 August 2016
To celebrate the business' 80th anniversary, Squire's challenged all their garden centres across the South East to design a floral display, which was wildlife friendly and referenced the company's 80 years in the horticulture industry.
All new £3m flagship Wickes planned for Crawley
1 August 2016
Wickes has confirmed that a new £3m, revolutionary store is being planned for Crawley.