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B&Q announces deal to merge Ipswich store with Morrisons

B&Q and Morrisons have announced a deal that will see B&Q's Ipswich (Euro Retail Park) store converted to make way for a new Morrisons store. 
3 September 2013

Police seek power drills theft suspect

Police in the West Country are trying to trace a woman suspected of stealing around £300-worth of Stanley power drills from a branch of Homebase. 
3 September 2013

Victoria Plumb launches new mobile shopping site

Online bathroom retailer, Victoria Plumb, has launched a new adaptive version of its website that is tailored towards mobile users. Following its extensive TV campaign, the retailer wants to offer customers the ability to browse and even buy on the go. 
3 September 2013

Masseys to treble in size with store move

Derbyshire DIY and garden store Masseys is now just months away from moving into purpose-built new premises, which will see the business almost triple in size. 
3 September 2013

Court upholds Dobbies' record sewage-breach fine

Dobbies says it is "disappointed" that a court has rejected its appeal over a £75,000 fine imposed on it earlier this year for polluting a stream with sewage. 
2 September 2013

Home Hardware's new-style cookshop catalogue flies

A record number of 371,000 cookshop catalogues have been ordered by Home Hardware retailers. 
2 September 2013

Garden plastics supplier reports 40% sales hike

Garland Products reported a 40% annual increase in business for 2013 and then addition of 800 new UK garden accounts for its recently-introduced Worth Gardening brand. 
2 September 2013

Irish garden centre to close

One of Ireland's Gardenworks garden centres is to close after the company reported huge losses in 2011 and failed to keep the store alive. 
2 September 2013

UK growth forecasts are upgraded - but challenges still remain

The British Chambers of Commerce has upgraded its UK growth forecasts for the next three years, saying the figures are encouraging but recovery is still not secure. Export activity is also reported to be at record levels but manufacturing figures have declined, with only a small output increase expected in 2014. 
30 August 2013

Crown Paints secures top Saturday night sponsorship campaign

Crown Paints is to sponsor ITV's new 'Through the Keyhole' programme. 
30 August 2013

B&Q makes 180 redundancies under management re-structure

B&Q has made around 180 redundancies across its store management teams under restructuring plans across the business. 
30 August 2013

150,000 plant bulbs to keep Sidmouth beautiful

An investment banker from Devon has donated his entire £2.3million fortune to the town of Sidmouth, with only one stipulation - plant a million flower bulbs and keep the town "beautiful". 
30 August 2013

Homebase launches its Garden Academy

Homebase is to cultivate its own generation of gardeners through its new Garden Academy apprenticeship scheme. 
30 August 2013

John Lewis Partnership to make £40m in missed payments to staff

A review of the John Lewis Partnership's holiday pay policy found that some partners' pay packet additions have not been paid properly since 2006. 
29 August 2013

Topps Tiles website surges in quarterly survey

Topps Tiles is one of the top five climbers in an ongoing survey of retail websites. 
29 August 2013

Cardwell Garden Centre founder Eric Gallagher dies

Eric Gallagher, the celebrated founder and chairman of Cardwell Garden Centre near Gourock, Renfrewshire, has died. 
29 August 2013

Hardware shop denies fly swat was 'offensive weapon'

A Hampshire hardware store has denied press reports that a customer who went in to buy a fly swat was asked to produce proof of her age. 
28 August 2013

Bord na Móna UK signs up with BHETA

Growing media and fertilisers supplier Bord na Móna UK has become the latest garden products company to join the British Home Enhancement Trade Association. 
28 August 2013

Win a day's consultancy with Alex Polizzi

Independents are being given the chance to win a free day's consultancy with the small and medium-sized business expert Alex Polizzi in a competition being organised by Autumn Fair International and energy supplier Npower. 
28 August 2013

Garden centre owner John Toomer dies

John Toomer, who owned and ran the Toomers garden and pet retail businesses in Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, has died. 
28 August 2013
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