Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

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Screwfix to open three new trade counters in one day

The Kingfisher-owned chain is set to open four new branches this month, with three officially opening their doors on July 18.The first new site will begin trading this week, on Thursday, July 11 on Warminster Business Park and will be managed by Jon ... 
8 July 2019

Rise of the ‘barbecue bandits’

Thieves are taking advantage of a growing trend for garden gadgets, with new report revealing the number of thefts from outside dwellings rose by 23% in just 12 months.Official data shows there were 112,000 more thefts from people's gardens last ... 
8 July 2019

Wren Kitchens submits plans for new showroom in Mansfield

Following the opening of its 79th showroom last month in Tamworth, the kitchen retailer has put forward plans to open a showroom on Portland Retail Park, taking over a unknit currently occupied by Dreams.Plans have been submitted to Mansfield ... 
5 July 2019

GIMA reveals 2019 award winners

The Garden Industry Trade Association Manufacturers Association (GIMA) held its annual awards event last night, announcing 16 winners from across the garden industry at the event.This year, Primeur with its Tierra Verde Recycled Rubber Planters, ... 
5 July 2019

Argos grows market share in key categories

Parent firm, Sainsbury’s reported growth across all channels in Q3, with its general merchandise business Argos seeing an uplift in sales and outperforming what the retailer described as “a highly competitive and very promotional market”.The ... 
4 July 2019

Wickes launches week-long promotion on grey paint

Wickes has slashed the price of seven of its best-selling paint shades for just one week, dubbing the promotion ‘seven shades of grey for seven days’.With grey still considered very much on trend and a popular choice with consumers, Wickes has cut ... 
4 July 2019

B&Q portfolio stores acquired in sale-and-leaseback deal

Three B&Q stores – equating to a retail store portfolio of 306,000sq ft – have been acquired by Palmer Capital by way of sale and leaseback.The real estate investment management company has taken on three solus B&Q stores in Birmingham, ... 
3 July 2019

Amazon to expand UK operations and create more than 2,000 jobs in 2019

The e-commerce giant has vowed to create more than 2,000 permanent jobs in the UK in 2019, with new roles within head office, R&D, Amazon Web services and operations. The recruitment drive will take Amazon UK’s total workforce to more than 29,500 ... 
3 July 2019

‘No-deal’ Brexit could see soaring material prices and lower workloads

Construction SMEs want the new Prime Minister to slash VAT on housing, renovation and repair work to help tempt homeowners to finally commission the home improvement projects they’ve been putting off due to Brexit-related uncertainty. New research ... 
3 July 2019

Topps reports 3.8% uplift in Q3

Topps Tiles has seen sales rise nearly 4% during the last quarter, bolstered by its venture into the commercial market, and new range launches, as the retailer’s strategy of ‘out-specialising the specialists’ “delivers strong results”.The sales jump ... 
3 July 2019

Choice Marketing adds three new garden centres and changes marketing agency

The new additions - Highfield Garden World in Whitminster and Blackbrooks Garden Centre’s two new garden centres at Hastings and Lower Dicker – take the number of Choice Marketing’s members to 45, and bolster its group retail turnover to more than £... 
3 July 2019

Garden centre sales still ahead despite wetter and cooler May

Garden centre sales are 13% up based on the calendar year to May 2019 vs 2018, according to the June 2019 issue of HTA Market Update published last week.Houseplant sales remained strong in May, but sales of garden and outdoor ranges suffered in the ... 
2 July 2019

The ‘Let’s Explore’ Greenfingers garden opens at Richard House Children’s Hospice

Greenfingers Charity has announced it was delighted to be joined by children, families and supporters at the official opening of the charity’s latest garden project at London’s first children’s hospice, Richard House, on 27 June 2018. Greenfingers ... 
2 July 2019

DIY SOS will head to Blackburn this year for Children in Need special

DIY SOS, BBC One’s popular property renovation show, will head to Blackburn with Darwen later this year to take on an ambitious build to benefit a local charity. DIY SOS: The Big Build BBC Children in Need Special (working title) will see Nick ... 
2 July 2019

Smart Garden Products named in London Stock Exchange dynamic companies list

Smart Garden Products Ltd has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2019. The report is a celebration of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses (SMEs), with ... 
2 July 2019

Notcutts opens new display garden in Maidstone

A special ribbon cutting event was held at Notcutts Garden Centre in Maidstone to celebrate the opening of a new display garden, designed to inspire local gardeners with imaginative planting and landscaping ideas all year round. Caroline Notcutt, ... 
28 June 2019

Wilko to open two new stores

British value home and garden retailer, wilko, will open the doors to its newly relocated store at Tameside One, Ashton-under-Lyne on 10 July at 9am, the company confirms, as well as announcing it has signed a lease for a new store at The Oaks ... 
27 June 2019

Over 500 jobs at risk as Bathstore collapses into administration

After failing to secure a buyer, Bathstore, the UK’s biggest bathroom specialist, has collapsed into administration putting over 500 jobs at risk. The company has appointed the business services firm BDO as administrators, who said the retailer ... 
26 June 2019

Wyevale sells second garden centre to Cherry Lane

Wyevale Garden Centres has announced that Podington Garden Centre has been sold to Cherry Lane Garden Centre. The sale is expected to complete by the middle of August, with WGC continuing to operate the centre until this date. Cherry Lane Garden ... 
26 June 2019

Carpetright restructure produces positive results

The carpet and floorcoverings retailer, Carpetright, has announced its "business turnaround [is] on track with an encouraging return to positive like-for-like sales growth" in its full year results, following the group’s restructuring last year ... 
26 June 2019
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