Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

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Entry now open for Glee New Product Showcase

Next month's Glee exhibition is calling for entries into its New Product Showcase, hoping to find the next big thing or something with the potential to boost the profits of any garden retailer. 
5 August 2013

Smart Solar acquires Greentree supplier

Garden products supplier Greentree has been acquired by Smart Solar for an undisclosed sum, and its founder Gary Ackers has been appointed to a new role of commercial director. 
1 August 2013

QD Stores to open online shopping channel

Norwich-based value retailer QD Stores has announced it will be opening an online shopping channel to complement its high street business. 
1 August 2013

Flooding causes garden centre fire

Customers and staff at Fryers Garden Centre in Knutsford had to be evacuated this week after a fire started in an electrical cupboard. 
31 July 2013

Operating profit up 353% at Robert Dyas

Business has boomed at Robert Dyas following its July 2012 takeover by former Dragon's Den star Theo Paphitis, with operating profits up to £4.89m for the year to March 30, 2013 - an uptake of 353% since last year's £1.08m. 
31 July 2013

Builders merchant is bowled over by the Home of Cricket

West London builders merchant Lords took up a unique opportunity to impress its name on millions of potential customers when it was invited to take a prime banner site on the Lord's cricket ground for the second Ashes test match in June. 
31 July 2013

Homebase worker charged with £132,000 voucher theft

A south London woman who works for Homebase goes to court today accused of stealing over £100,000-worth of gift vouchers from the retailer. 
31 July 2013

Drinkware specialist Bubba joins BHETA

Bubba Brands, whose products include the Hero bottle, has joined the British Home Enhancement Trade Association. 
31 July 2013

GCA releases 'seaside' clue for conference venue

"Oh I do like to be beside the seaside" is the second clue released by the GCA in its competition to guess the 2014 venue of its annual conference. 
30 July 2013

Staff-radio hardware store wins music royalties case

An Irish hardware store/builders merchant has successfully defended itself against a demand to pay music royalties because its employees listened to a radio. 
30 July 2013

MotoGP prize offered for Stanley's Big Hit Challenge

Following the success of last year's event, Stanley is once again hosting its Big Hit Challenge at the upcoming British MotoGP at Silverstone. 
30 July 2013

Now Max Bahr goes down after insurers pull the plug

Germany's Max Bahr DIY chain has filed for insolvency, dashing hopes that it might be able to survive the collapse two weeks ago of parent Praktiker, the country's third-largest home improvement retailer. 
29 July 2013

B&Q to sue Visa over card fees

B&Q has come together with some of the UK's other leading retail names to sue Visa over excessive debit and credit card processing costs. 
29 July 2013

Channel 5 show seeks walking DIY disasters

Do you or any of your customers have a great DIY disaster story? 
29 July 2013

Out-of-town DIY store makes triumphant return to high st

Turnover has shot up 43% at family-run North Wales retailer Ruthin Décor ever since it turned its back on its former out-of-town location and returned to the high street. 
26 July 2013

Indie shops see a 1.9% decline from April to June

Despite the ONS signalling a 0.6% rise in GDP, new research from the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) shows that independent traders logged a year-on-year quarterly decline of 1.9% in the three months to June. 
26 July 2013

Beware: garden supplier reports order scam

Con artist posing as a garden retailer targets supplier, placing bogus orders worth thousands of pounds. 
26 July 2013

Warm weather sees last minute sales surge of 8.6% at Wickes

Sales were largely flat during Wickes' first half, with like-for-likes dropping 1.1%, levelling sales at £586.6m for the six months to June 30. 
25 July 2013

Travis Perkins CEO to retire

Geoff Cooper, the chief executive officer of Wickes' parent company Travis Perkins Plc, will retire as a director and full time employee on his 60th birthday next March, and step down as ceo in January, after nine years at the helm of the business. 
25 July 2013

Hot weather sweeps Carpetright's sales under the rug

Sales decreased by 3.3% during the 12 weeks to July 20 at Carpetright, with like-for-likes dropping 1.9% due to warm weather impacting footfall. 
25 July 2013
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