Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

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Traditional Christmas trees face competition

An increasing number of British consumers are shunning the traditional Christmas tree in favour of premium topiary as some species are in short supply in the UK, says one tree retailer. UK online garden centre GardeningExpress.co.uk has revealed a ... 
14 December 2018

John Lewis sales slip, as promotions taper off

The department store chain recorded a second week of declines in the aftermath of its Black Friday promotions, which saw the business record the biggest sales week in its history.John Lewis reported a 5.1% dip in sales last week, with home the worst-... 
14 December 2018

What More reports boost to exports business

The Lancashire manufacturer, which produces plastic household products, has seen a boost in international contracts, thanks to “a global trend for buying British” and the support of the Made in Britain organisation, which provides an official marque ... 
14 December 2018

D.W. Nye to expand its premises

The independent Sussex builders’ merchant has started major expansion works at its Kingsfold depot, near Horsham.The improvements will see the addition of a brand new warehouse and office facility to cater for D.W. Nye’s growing customer base. Large ... 
14 December 2018

Ikea UK to open new Planning Studio in Bromley

Due to open in Spring 2019, the new 900sq m Planning Studio forms part of the Swedish retailer’s ongoing city centre approach and will specialise in helping customers to plan and order bedrooms and kitchensIt will be the second of the new store ... 
13 December 2018

Construction firms admit involvement in illegal cartel

Derbyshire-based Stanton Bonna Concrete Ltd and Somerset-based CPM Group Ltd have admitted breaking competition law by taking part in a cartel and now face fines from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).The CMA provisionally found that three ... 
13 December 2018

Strong trading continues at Leekes Retail & Leisure Group

Leekes Retail and Leisure Group, based in South Wales, has reported another year of strong results. The family-run business which has been operating for over 120 years advised that the excellent trading reported in the year to 31 March 2018 had ... 
11 December 2018

Tong Garden Centre announces £4million investment

Staff and management at a Bradford garden centre have announced it has secured planning permission for the next stage of its plans for growth.Bradford Council's Regulatory and Appeals Committee unanimously voted to approve Tong Garden Centre's £4 ... 
10 December 2018

Amazon looks to open first check-out free store in Britain

Amazon is reportedly planning to introduce its first checkout-free store in Britain as it looks to expand its high-tech experience for shoppers. Bosses are eyeing up sites near Oxford Circus in London for the ‘Amazon Go’ shop – its high-tech retail ... 
10 December 2018

Utopia Bathroom Furniture transforms deliveries with new mobile technology

Bathroom manufacturer, Utopia Furniture Group has rolled out a new five-in-one cloud-based system that combines mobile apps - including electronic proofs of delivery (POD) and vehicle tracking - with a customer relationship management system (CRM).... 
7 December 2018

Apprenticeship Levy sees number of apprenticeships plummet

Apprenticeship starts are falling because of the Apprenticeship Levy, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), which believes the tax scheme needs to be made more flexible.The FMB’s reaction is in response to statistics published this month by ... 
7 December 2018

Clas Ohlson to move to online-only format in UK

The Swedish retailer has announced plans to close all stores in the UK and Germany and focus on internet retailing, blaming a weak retail climate and the cost of developing a strong digital presence. The move is expected to deliver a £6.5million ... 
6 December 2018

Homebase agrees concession partnership with Tapi

Homebase has announced it has signed a concession partnership with Tapi Carpets & Floors, the nationwide flooring specialists.The partnership will see Tapi concessions open in a significant number of Homebase stores across the UK. The first ... 
6 December 2018

Vanishing gardens and landscapes threaten UK future

Experts warn of the negative impact it will have on the economy and the health and wellbeing of society, as the UK’s gardens get smaller, with nearly a quarter of new homes not having a garden at all.A report by Oxford Economics for the Ornamental ... 
5 December 2018

Perrywood wins gold at FreeFrom Eating Out Awards

After being shortlisted in the 2018 FreeFrom Eating Out Awards, Perrywood Tiptree garden centre has announced it has won a gold award for the category ‘Newbies’ at the 2018 FreeFrom Eating Out Awards. The garden centre is home to an award-winning ... 
5 December 2018

Dobbies reports double-digit sales growth following head office shake-up

The garden centre chain said it enjoyed six consecutive months of year-on-year sales growth of more than 11% this financial year, after a fall in sales and profits in the year after it was sold by supermarket giant Tesco. Dobbies recorded a 1.5% ... 
5 December 2018

Wyevale announces sale of Wellingborough and Wolds View centres

Wyevale Garden Centres (“WGC”), the UK’s biggest garden centre operator, today announces the sale of two centres. Wellingborough has been sold to Higgins Landscape and Garden Centres Limited (part of Higgins Building Supplies Limited), and Wolds ... 
4 December 2018

Travis Perkins to review struggling DIY chain, Wickes

Wickes parent company, Travis Perkins, has announced it will begin a comprehensive review of the business and look to simplify the model in order to "improve returns."The company has said the fundamental long-term growth drivers of the business remain ... 
4 December 2018

Barton Grange and Castle Gardens named national winners of GCA Christmas competition

Barton Grange Garden Centre and Castle Gardens have been announced as the national winners of the 2018 Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual Christmas competition. The garden centres were judged to have the best festive displays in the country by ... 
3 December 2018

Juliana Group relaunches Halls greenhouse brand

Greenhouse manufacturer the Juliana Group, formerly known as Eden Halls Greenhouses in the UK, is set to relaunch its classic Halls greenhouse brand. Timed for the spring 2019 season, the relaunch comprises a new graphic expression and logo for the ... 
3 December 2018
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