A new three level racing track, new karts and new teams combined to raise a record £5,000 for the Rainy Day Trust at the 14th Annual Hardware Trades Karting challenge. 

Notcutts Garden Centre and Notcutts Landscapes has won a gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show for its colourful exhibition of water features, climbers and flowering plants. 

Topps Tiles reported a 4.4% jump in like-for-like sales and a slight drop in half year pre-tax profit. 

Preliminary results for 2006-07 show a 26% rise in net profit on strong sales up 10%. 

Family-run garden centre business Garsons has scooped top prize at the Re:fresh Awards 2007 as the Foods from Spain Independent Retailer of the Year. 

B&Q’s recent style refresh of its website DIY.com – making the site easier to use, search for products and check stock levels – is proving a 'big hit' with customers. 

At the European Home Centre Retail Association (EDRA) annual General meeting today, George Adams, managing director, European development of Kingfisher, was appointed president of EDRA. 

Asda chief executive Andy Bond has been given the go-ahead to open 300 Living stores from parent Wal-Mart. 

Supply of the new Jane Asher non-stick bakeware and cookware has been interrupted following supplier Malobel’s collapse into voluntary liquidation. 

According to research from Halifax Home Insurance, British garden centres have witnessed a dramatic increase in customers reporting the death of well-established traditional British plants. 

Homewares generates strong sales at John Lewis, ScS Upholstery stuggles with interest rates 

Non-store retailers who include internet retailers, and other non-food stores saw a rise of 3.3% - the highest growth since march 2004, official figures show. 

Steyport has announced a restructure of its paint department to refocus its sales on own-brand production and labelling for high street retailers. 

Around ninety trade partners and journalists joined senior Bissell executives to witness the launch event for the international roll-out of the company's Proheat All-rounder. 

Chairman of Travis Perkins Tim Stevenson told his latest agm that the diy business continues to trade in line with its expectations. 

Chris Bonnett, chief executive of online garden centre Gardening Express has asked his insurers to pursue home delivery specialists Amtrak for loss of earnings. 

Home Depot has announced a 30% profits drop in its first quarter and a lower forecast for yearly earnings as the US housing market continues to slow. 

British homeowner's spending on property accounts for almost four pounds in every £10 

Garden centres in Lincolnshire who currently use brown tourism signs to attract customers to their coffee shops may have to remove them, says the county council. 

Former Darwen businessman Thomas James Harwood, died peacefully on 15 May 2007 at the age of 95, writes his son, Tom Harwood.