The final quarter of 2012 has seen a flurry of garden centre concession openings as retailers look to make up the shortfall of the year's tough spring and summer, according to First Franchise. 

Sainsbury's says it expects to "grow the home heating market significantly" as it unveils plans to sell a range of gas and oil boilers in its 13 stores in Northern Ireland. 

Bents Garden & Home bucks the doom and gloom trend recording its highest ever footfall last weekend and best week of sales. 

A dedicated Outdoor Living & Leisure section will be a new feature of next year's Spring Fair International, situated in Hall 10. 

Retail organisations have expressed their frustration that Chancellor George Osborne failed to heed calls to freeze business rates next year, when making his Autumn Statement in the House of Commons yesterday. 

JW Ostendorf, one of Europe's leading paint producers, has taken over French paint producer Renaulac in a bid to grow its international business. 

Major developments including the relocation and expansion of a Greenways Restaurant, and more than 5,000sq m of extra retail space at Gloucestershire-based Highfields Garden World have been given the green light. 

Home Retail Group has announced that CA Technologies' Jacqueline de Rojas has joined its board as a non-executive director, following news that Argos aims to position itself as a leading digital retailer and Homebase plans to focus on multi-channel. 

Retailers will be hoping for a last-minute Christmas boost from shoppers, as new retail sales figures reveal that customers felt cautious about spending last month. 

Wickes has been using the expertise of its trade customers to benefit local communities and tackle youth unemployment through its work with the Volunteer It Yourself project. 

John Lewis' lovelorn snowman has beaten its nearest rival by a country mile in a poll to find consumers' favourite Christmas 2012 ad. 

Theo Paphitis, who took on Robert Dyas earlier this year, has boosted the marketing budget for his three major retail brands, Dyas, Boux Avenue and Ryman Stationery. 

Fasteners and fixings supplier Owlett-Jaton has extended access to its popular online trading portal 'OJ Trade' to allow more customers to source fasteners, fixings, hardware and ironmongery. 

US private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) have acquired a "significant stake" in discount retailer B&M in a deal rumoured to have valued the retailer at more than £900m. 

Eight men who used the car park of Squires Garden Centre in Windsor, Berkshire, for multi-million pound class A drugs deals have been jailed for a total of 59 years after a large-scale police drugs swoop. 

The Horticultural Trades and Garden Centre Associations are to share premises at Theale, Reading, from February 1, 2013. 

The cost of retail crime this year is estimated at £1bn, up 3.4% and £33m on last year. 

Two-thirds of MPs are backing a demand for a freeze on business rates next year - and it is supported equally by Conservative and Labour MPs. 

Poundworld says difficult trading conditions on the high street are giving the retailer the chance to snap up stores cheaply, as it continues its ambitious store expansion programme. 

Home safety products supplier Sprue Aegis has once again been recognised as one of Britain's 100 top-performing private companies in this year's Sunday Times Fast Track 100 league table.