Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

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New chief exec for B&Q

Kingfisher announces major boardroom changes - 0'Byrne and Sutherland move up, but Hogsted's role disappears 
16 February 2012

B&Q sales rise 0.2% in fourth quarter

“We have ended another challenging year in robust shape,” says group CEO Ian Cheshire. 
16 February 2012

Pet items stolen from garden centre

Police in Lancashire have issued CCTV stills of two men they would like to speak to in connection with a suspected shoplifting offence at Barton Grange Garden Centre in Preston. 
15 February 2012

'Sexist' ad for DIY store banned by ASA

A poster ad for Tottenham-based Mems DIY Ltd has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority for "overtly sexual" content which "objectified women." 
15 February 2012

GIMA offers training to non-members

The Garden Industry Manufacturers Association (GIMA) is opening up its training to the wider sector, not just its members. 
14 February 2012

Screwfix website ranks bottom in retail top 500 for Q1

New results released by analytics website Sitemorse ranks the DIY retailer's website as the worst retail site in the UK in terms of accessibility, broken links, quality, performance and SEO capability in 2012 Q1. 
14 February 2012

Children get creative at Garden Centre

A Somerset garden centre is inviting local children to help add a splash of paint to its 30th anniversary celebrations through free tile-painting sessions. 
14 February 2012

Garden Centre calls for couples married in '82

Monkton Elm Garden and Pet Centre is searching for all Somerset-based couples celebrating their pearl wedding anniversary this March to come forward and help mark 30 years of trading. 
14 February 2012

Ex-Focus boss joins home shopping group

Bill Grimsey, the former ceo of Focus DIY Ltd, has been appointed as a non-executive director at Findel PLC, a home shopping retail group. 
14 February 2012

Master Lock shares a bit of love this Valentine's Day

Security supplier creates a virtual bridge where people can declare and 'lock up' their love with a Master Lock padlock online. 
14 February 2012

GCA to launch web-based training initiative

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has revealed plans to launch a new resource which should provide its members with an accessible online training tool. 
13 February 2012

£3,500 boost for Greenfingers

Staff at William Sinclair recently presented a cheque for £3,559.90 to the Greenfingers charity, which is dedicated to creating gardens at children's hospices across the country. 
13 February 2012

Homebase director completes trip to South Pole

Temperatures of -40 degrees C and even a broken arm didn't stop trading director Andrew Carnie and his team in their race to the pole to raise a quarter of a million for homeless charity Centrepoint. 
10 February 2012

Ludlow Homecare named BHF Shop of the Year

Shropshire retailer wins British Hardware Federation title 
10 February 2012

Totally DIY matches London visitor numbers

Snowbound roads, a change of halls, and a massive lack of signposting within the NEC -
this week's Totally DIY show was hit by a combination of adverse factors. But visitor traffic grew steadily throughout the three days, and by Tuesday lunchtime there was a discernible buzz in the hall.
 
10 February 2012

Suspected customer fraud at Wickes store

Chippenham police officers are investigating a suspected cause of fraud at a Wickes store on Bumpers Farm retail park, involving a man trying to claim a refund on goods he hadn't bought. 
9 February 2012

High street brands "locked in a spiral of decline"

A new report on the rate of shop vacancies over the past year has highlighted 'weak housing market activity' as one of the factors behind administrations in the home improvement retail sector.
 
8 February 2012

EXCLUSIVE: Hand tool supplier in liquidation

Family-run Howard Richard Sales appoints liquidators after more than 40 years of trading. 
8 February 2012

BHETA puts the emphasis on export with new initiative

The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) has launched the first in what is to become a series of events devoted to helping its members develop their export business. 
7 February 2012

January report shows 'another quiet month' for DIY sales

The BRC has released its UK retail sales figures and analysis for January, revealing an overall like-for-like (lfl) decline of 0.3% since last year, with the poor housing market adversely affecting the DIY industry. 
7 February 2012
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