Home improvement retailers can expect a new influx of mature customers after the publication of research that finds DIY and gardening is good for you - possibly adding years to older people's lives. 

French DIY retail giants Leroy Merlin and Kingfisher-owned Castorama have won a partial victory in a bitter quarrel over Sunday opening. 

The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) has signed up yet another big home improvement name as a member, Crown Paints. 

All purpose adhesive brand, Gorilla Glue, has embarked on its first national marketing campaign with a £500,000 investment supporting its UK growth. 

Ralph Morten, founder of the Ilkley, West Yorkshire hardware independent RW Morten, has passed away at the age of 101. 

The Peterlee branch of builders' merchant MKM has donated a raft of materials to a project being undertaken by BBC television's DIY SOS: The Big Build series. 

The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) has signed up another four companies from within the housewares industry. 

Paint brand Dulux is launching a nationwide campaign to encourage hesitant homeowners to get back into decorating. 

Doff Portland has undergone a major rebrand as part of its strategy to grow its share of the lawn care and pest control market. 

Which? is telling consumers not to buy two FireAngel brand smoke alarms after they failed a fire test. 

Screwfix has opened its 300th trade counter - just eight years after it launched its first store, in Yeovil. 

FA Secrett has announced that it has sold its garden centre in Milford, Surrey, to Squire's Garden Centres for an undisclosed figure. 

Following news that the annual awards event has moved to a new time and place for next year, entry to both the retailer and product categories is now open. 

Like-for-like sales at Homebase for the first half of this year were up 5.9%, its best performance since acquisition in 2002. 

'Wallpaper' and 'DIY' were the most popular keywords used for online searches on Google UK in August, within the furniture, garden products, decorating products and homewares categories. 

Garden centre customers have started preparing for Christmas early, with sales of festive products in September showing double-digit growth on last year. 

This year's Home Hardware Scotland Christmas brochure is offering more to its customers - a giveaway of a kitchen timer (worth £10) and the chance to win a six foot Christmas tree (worth £40). 

The British Home Enhancement Trade has signed up another big-name member in the form of DIY adhesives and sealants producer Bostik. 

Rainy Day Trust, the DIY and housewares industry charity, is appealing for more old mobile phones and printer cartridges for recycling to raise funds for its beneficiaries. 

Having reached a settlement with its creditors, Homebase Ireland has successfully exited examinership and secured almost 500 jobs.