This year's Totally DIY and Totally Tools shows have provided an industry boost, following visits from key retailers, a bigger show with plenty of fresh content and positive messages from industry commentators about the future.
The event, which ran last week (February 16-18) at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, enjoyed a busy three days, with overall visitor numbers up on 2013 and a 20% increase in the number of exhibitors for the show also yielding a 20% increase in floor space.

Exhibition director Paul Grinsell said: "Our top priority is to encourage the right buyers to come along to the show, and ensure they have something worthwhile and interesting to visit.

"It's been great to see visitors not only from the biggest retailers and wholesalers such as B&Q, Screwfix, Homebase, Robert Dyas, Travis Perkins, Wickes, Trago Mills, Taskers, Decco, The Tools Shop Group, Stax and B&M Retail in the show, but also from CostCo, QVC, Ideal Home Shopping, The Range, TK Maxx, Wilkinsons, Aldi, Poundland, Tesco, Amazon and the specialists such as Isaac Lord, Howdens Joinery, Selco, TBS Building Supplies and Gibbs & Dandy - to name but a few!

"In addition, the Ricoh Arena is also proving to be a real asset. It's great to work in and simple to get to, so we're very pleased to be here again and will be back next year.

"Our ongoing links with the British Hardware Federation (BHF), Mica DIY, Home Hardware, Stax, our new relationship with the THS Tools Group, and certainly the shows' co-location with the DIY Week Awards ceremony, which took place on the Monday evening of the show, have all added good reasons to be in Coventry for the show.

"It's great to see the industry coming together, celebrating good products and imaginative retailing and looking forward, with new products, ideas and services being launched."

2015's Totally DIY and Totally Tools shows will run from February 15 to 17 at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

DIY Week's full coverage of this year's shows will feature in the next issue - out March 7.