Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

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New rules could save SMEs £600m in reporting and accountancy fees

The Government is proposing to reduce financial reporting requirements for small businesses in a move which could save UK firms more than £600m every year. 
12 October 2011

B&Q launches graduate scheme

B&Q is launching a new retail management graduate programme, providing on-the-job retail experience. 
11 October 2011

Golden Acres acquires garden centre in Redditch

Garden group takes on Badger Nurseries in Studley for undisclosed sum - the second garden centre acquisition in Redditch in the space of a month. 
11 October 2011

AkzoNobel brings paint brands under one global identity

AkzoNobel has unveiled a single global brand identity for its retail consumer paint range, entitled Let's Colour. 
11 October 2011

Wickes team completes charity Base Camp ride

A team of cyclists from DIY chain Wickes have completed a punishing 520k ride to Mount Everest's Base Camp in aid of blood cancer charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. 
11 October 2011

Hardy's Garden Centre gutted by fire

More than 50 firefighters called in to tackle blaze on Southend Arterial Road in Upminster on Saturday. 
11 October 2011

Green DIY celebrates 20 years

Sussex DIY independent Green DIY celebrated its 20th birthday on October 4, and marked the event with a special promotional weekend over the weekend of October 7-9. 
11 October 2011

Glee visitor numbers continue to decline

Glee visitor numbers dropped nearly 15% this year, falling to 11,149 from 13,050 in 2010, unaudited figures released by the show's organisers have revealed. 
10 October 2011

No recovery in retail until 2013, says Verdict

Verdict retail practice leader Maureen Hinton painted a gloomy picture of the DIY, garden and housewares market, forecasting that tough times will persist for the next two years before recovery in a new 'low-growth environment'. 
10 October 2011

Homewares fares better than most on high street in September

The latest BDO sales tracker revealed a 4% slump on the high street in September due to the unseasonal heat, while promotions helped drive sales in the homewares sector. 
10 October 2011

Sales at John Lewis flag in hot weather

Sales at John Lewis declined last week as customers enjoyed the hot weather outside rather than hitting the shops. 
7 October 2011

Lighting industry associations vote to merge

Following a period of consultation with their members, the Lighting Association and Lighting Industry Federation held extraordinary annual general meetings on September 29 where members of both organisations voted to merge. 
7 October 2011

Ironmongery Direct opens new premises

Ironmongery Direct officially opened its new purpose-built headquarters in Basildon, Essex yesterday. 
7 October 2011

UPDATE: Fire destroys Dunelm Mill store

A Dunelm Mill store on Orchard Retail Park in Coventry has been destroyed by a large fire which broke out in the early hours of yesterday morning. 
7 October 2011

Obituary: John Dixon

Garden Centre Group pays tribute to Mr Dixon, who had worked at the Croydon Purley Way Garden Centre for more than 20 years before recently passing away. 
7 October 2011

Fire breaks out at Dunelm Mill store

More than 80 fire fighters are battling a large fire which broke out at the Dunelm Mill store on Orchard Retail Park in Coventry in the early hours of this morning. 
6 October 2011

LED Lenser breaks record for World's largest torch

On Sunday, September 25, the company unveiled the record-breaking torch at the Night of Lights Festival in Soligen, Germany. 
6 October 2011

Q1 like-for-likes dip at Dunelm

Homewares retailer Dunelm has reported a 2% dip in like-for-like sales for the first quarter of its current financial year. 
5 October 2011

Bathstore sales fall 15%

Plumbers and builders merchant group Wolseley has reported a rise in revenue and profit for the year to July 31, 2011, despite its Bathstore business suffering a 15% decline in revenue. 
5 October 2011

Aggressive discounting keeps prices down in non-food sector

While overall shop price inflation held fast at 2.7% last month, non-food declined from 1.4% in August to 1.3% in September, with electrical items in particular, cheaper than the same period last year. 
5 October 2011
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