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Clas Ohlson to retain one UK store in "key location"

Despite announcing plans to close all of its physical outlets acrosss the UK and Germany with a view to focusing on an online-only strategy, the Swedish retailer has made an about-turn and revealed it plan to keep trading from its Reading store on ... 
3 January 2019

Pantone announces colour of the year for 2019

Pantone has announced its colour of the year for 2019 as 'Living Coral'. Vibrant, yet mellow, the company has said, PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral "embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting ... 
3 January 2019

Peckish goes live with Channel 4 sponsorship

In December it was announced that Peckish will be sponsoring the Channel 4 Weather bulletins, as part of wider plans to boost brand awareness and the wild bird card market.The “Love Every Bird” campaign, which it is hoped will expose the Peckish ... 
3 January 2019

Homebase introduces second concession partnership

Homebase, one of the UK’s leading home improvement and garden retailers, has signed a concession partnership with UK bed brand, Silentnight.The partnership marks the first step in Homebase’s return into beds and mattresses, and will see several ... 
3 January 2019

Dobbies reports 21% uplift over Christmas

The 40-strong garden centre chain posted total sales of £24.1million for the last six weeks of the year, with footfall up across its centres, and a number of categories delivering record performances.Like-for-like sales were up 8% year on year (YOY),... 
3 January 2019

Official ambassador for National Home Improvement Month is revealed

National Home Improvement Month has announced it has recruited BBC presenter, DIY enthusiast and property developer Georgina Burnett to be an official ambassador for the National Home Improvement Month challenge commencing this April. Georgina has ... 
2 January 2019

Federation joins BHETA

The Federation of British Hand Tool Manufacturers (FBHTM) has announced that it has joined The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) as of January 1st 2019.FBHTM will remain as a separate entity under the leadership the current ... 
2 January 2019

Better Bathrooms receives rap from ASA over misleading promotion

The bathroom retailer’s ‘April Showers’ campaign was deemed to have breached CAP code rules, with it unclear as to whether discounts promised were genuine.The ads in question referred to banners that detailed the retailer’s April Showers promotion, ... 
2 January 2019

Hartley Botanic reveals 2019 greenhouse trends

2019 has been reported as the year greenhouses and glasshouses will be just as likely to be used for parties and entertaining as younger families admit they see them, not just as a route to healthier and eco-friendly living, but as luxury lifestyle ... 
2 January 2019

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen to speak at GCA Conference

Attendees to the Garden Centre Association (GCA) annual conference, to be held on January 20 until 23, 2019, will be able to hear from former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen.Kevin will be a guest speaker at the conference, which takes place at ... 
2 January 2019

Sponsors line up to support the DIY Week Awards

First industry names to come on board to support the May event include Home Hardware Southwest, Zep Commercial and the British Home Enhancement Association (BHETA).The 2019 DIY Week Awards will take place on Friday, May 10 at the Tower Hotel in ... 
18 December 2018

Ikea's most sustainable store to open in Feb

The Swedish retailer’s new 32,000sq ft sustainable store in London’s Greenwich will open its doors to the public on February 7.Ikea has described the new outlet as “a beacon of sustainability for Ikea in the UK” and has been designed as “a meeting ... 
17 December 2018

DIY Week Awards: Deadline for entries extended

Retailers and suppliers will now have until Friday, January 18 to get their entries in online ... 
14 December 2018

Traditional Christmas trees face competition

An increasing number of British consumers are shunning the traditional Christmas tree in favour of premium topiary as some species are in short supply in the UK, says one tree retailer. UK online garden centre GardeningExpress.co.uk has revealed a ... 
14 December 2018

John Lewis sales slip, as promotions taper off

The department store chain recorded a second week of declines in the aftermath of its Black Friday promotions, which saw the business record the biggest sales week in its history.John Lewis reported a 5.1% dip in sales last week, with home the worst-... 
14 December 2018

What More reports boost to exports business

The Lancashire manufacturer, which produces plastic household products, has seen a boost in international contracts, thanks to “a global trend for buying British” and the support of the Made in Britain organisation, which provides an official marque ... 
14 December 2018

D.W. Nye to expand its premises

The independent Sussex builders’ merchant has started major expansion works at its Kingsfold depot, near Horsham.The improvements will see the addition of a brand new warehouse and office facility to cater for D.W. Nye’s growing customer base. Large ... 
14 December 2018

Ikea UK to open new Planning Studio in Bromley

Due to open in Spring 2019, the new 900sq m Planning Studio forms part of the Swedish retailer’s ongoing city centre approach and will specialise in helping customers to plan and order bedrooms and kitchensIt will be the second of the new store ... 
13 December 2018

Construction firms admit involvement in illegal cartel

Derbyshire-based Stanton Bonna Concrete Ltd and Somerset-based CPM Group Ltd have admitted breaking competition law by taking part in a cartel and now face fines from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).The CMA provisionally found that three ... 
13 December 2018

Strong trading continues at Leekes Retail & Leisure Group

Leekes Retail and Leisure Group, based in South Wales, has reported another year of strong results. The family-run business which has been operating for over 120 years advised that the excellent trading reported in the year to 31 March 2018 had ... 
11 December 2018
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