Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

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Glee organisers call time on Petindex

Glee and the Pet Care Trade Association (PCTA) have decided to axe the separate pet show format in favour of integrating pet exhibitors into the main Glee show. 
13 March 2012

New £12m Haskins Garden Centre opens near Worthing

More than 60 new staff members have been recruited for the new garden centre, which has been constructed over the last year on 15 acres of land previously housing commercial greenhouses alongside the original Roundstone Garden Centre. 
13 March 2012

Pets at Home and Homebase named in top 20 employers

Both retailers celebrated at a recent awards ceremony, which saw Pets at Home take second place and Homebase 20th in The Sunday Times 25 Best Big Companies to Work For 2012 list. 
12 March 2012

Town & Country employee to run marathon for industry charity

The gardening supplier’s area sales manager Louise Cross has pledged to raise £1,000 for Greenfingers by running the London Marathon next month dressed as a dragonfly. 
12 March 2012

DIY retailers flourishing in central Europe

According to a new report by market information company PMR, the number of DIY stores in central Europe has increased by 36% in the last four years. 
8 March 2012

Second BHETA Meet the Buyer event a sell out

BHETA's latest initiative with homewares and garden retailer, Robert Dyas is already fully booked with almost a month left to go before the event takes place. 
8 March 2012

Preparations under way for Independents' Day 2012

Over the next four months independent retailers all over the country are being encouraged to join the Independents' Day campaign, which encourages the public to buy at least one thing from their local independent shop on July 4. 
8 March 2012

Mica members raise nearly £600 for RDT

DIY Week reporter Jenni Briscoe asked Mica members to show their support for the industry charity at their annual dinner - and they did! 
8 March 2012

Heavy discounting erodes margins further in February

Non-food sales remained static last month with small gains in DIY and garden, while discounts to try and stimulate growth continue to eat into retailers' margins. 
7 March 2012

Council tenants offered free DIY courses at B&Q

DIY retail giant B&Q has teamed up with social housing provider Home Group in a pilot scheme aimed at improving the DIY skills of its tenants through voucher, free course and rent holiday incentives. 
7 March 2012

John Lewis parent sees profits drop by 8.7%

The John Lewis Partnership's financial results for the year ending January 28, 2012, revealed the group's operating profit declined by £37.7m to £393.3m, impacted by heavy investment in store openings and new initiatives. 
7 March 2012

Grafton Group announces profit increase but DIY sales down in 2011

The Irish group, which owns Woodie's DIY and Atlantic Homecare, revealed that underlying operating were profits up 13% to €54.7m for the year, but that sales in its retail division dropped by 4.7% to €219.7m. 
7 March 2012

Bolsius announces new UK distributor

The candle maker and supplier has appointed Junction Eighteen as its new distributor for garden centres and retail channels. 
6 March 2012

Mica DIY Exchange receives thumbs up from delegates

Mica DIY members joined some of the industry's leading suppliers for a day and evening of 'slow dating' style networking, awards and entertainment last weekend. 
6 March 2012

Stax and Halls Mica Hardware win big at 2011 Mica Awards

The Mica DIY member and supplier awards, held at the Mercure Bristol Holland House hotel last weekend, saw Stax Trade Centres walk away with the Supplier of the Year award for the second year running. 
6 March 2012

Duck Tape launches new TV ad campaign

Duck Tape has announced its first ever investment into an extensive TV advertising campaign in the UK. 
6 March 2012

Upbeat mood as Cologne hardware show opens

There was a real buzz in the halls as Eisenwarenemesse, the biannual Cologne hardware show, opened its doors yesterday (March 4). 
5 March 2012

Toolbank buys ForgeFix

Dormole, the parent company of Toolbank, has made its third acquisition in less than three years with the takeover of the fixings supplier ForgeFix 
2 March 2012

Pets at Home appoints new CEO

Following the news that current CEO Matt Davies will be leaving Pets at Home after 10 years, the retailer has announced the new appointment of Nick Wood, former boss at DSG International (now Dixons Retail). 
2 March 2012

Baby python stolen from Dobbies garden centre

An 18-inch long 'hatchling' python has reportedly been swiped from Dobbies Garden World in Stirling. 
1 March 2012
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