Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

News Archive March 2017

DFS reports sales and profit rise in H2 30 March 2017

Strong results in the second half of the year mean furniture retailer DFS will post record results for the full 12-month period, as gross sales exceed £1bn for the first time.


Eastleigh GC bought in HSBC-backed deal 29 March 2017

Arturi Garden Centre in Eastleigh has been acquired and re-branded by the owners of the on-site Orangery Tea Rooms.


Rustins acquires Brummer 29 March 2017

Wood preservative and specialist paint manufacturer Rustins Limited purchased Clam-Brummer Limited last month and will be the custodian of the company’s brand and products.


Garden industry gets on board with Watch Your Back! campaign 29 March 2017

This summer a team of celebrity gardeners, horticultural organisations and major garden retail groups are uniting to help raise awareness of melanoma, now the fifth most common cancer in the UK.


Power tools stolen in white van raid 29 March 2017

Tools and equipment shop The Stores Dept in Uckfield, Sussex, was targeted by burglars during the night of Sunday, March 26.


Garden centre owners caught up in Westminster attack 29 March 2017

The owners of Green Pastures garden centre have spoken out after being caught up in the middle of last week's terror attack at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.


Discount retailer 99p Stores goes into administration 28 March 2017

High street discount chain 99p Stores has been put into administration by its owner Poundland, with 60 stores across the country closing down.


Amazon 'exploring idea' of physical furniture and home stores 28 March 2017

Rumours are circulating that Amazon has big plans to open physical stores selling furniture and home appliances which customers may otherwise be reluctant to purchase without seeing first.


Tesco fined £129m for profit prediction blunder 28 March 2017

Supermarket giant Tesco has been fined £129m by the Serious Fraud Office for an accounting error which saw it overstate its expected profits for the six months ending August 23, 2014.


Glue Dots appoints new DIY and hardware distributor 28 March 2017

Colchester-based wholesaler Wilsons has just been appointed by Glue Dots International as its UK distributor for the hardware and DIY trade sectors.


Screwfix wins customer experience award 27 March 2017

Kingfisher-owned retailer Screwfix has won an award for customer experience at the recent Retail Week Awards.


Concerned 5-year-old draws up 'missing' posters for stolen Koi Carp 27 March 2017

A five-year-old boy was so upset after hearing about the ten stolen Koi Carp from Squire's in Badshot Lea that he decided to draw 'missing' posters to try and help find the fish.


Brantano shoe chain in administration 24 March 2017

Value shoe retailer, which operates a number of concessions in garden centres across the country, has called in administrators this week,.


Garden Press Event has a new home for 2018 24 March 2017

The Boutique garden event, now owned by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and Garden Industry Manufacturers Association (GIMA) will relocate to the Business Design Centre in London.


Ground-breaking virtual reality store browser shortlisted for award 24 March 2017

UK-based GoInStore, a real-time technology that enables customers to virtually visit and browse a retail store, has been named as a finalist in the “Retailing Technology of the Year” category of the National Technology Awards 2017.


Garden Re-leaf Walk raises £22.5k for Greenfingers 22 March 2017

Last Friday (March 17) saw more than 100 keen garden industry participants don their walking and running shoes to complete a 21 mile distance in honour of industry charity Greenfingers.


Kingfisher announces profit rise but sales decline at B&Q 22 March 2017

B&Q parent group Kingfisher has announced a significant rise in its underlying and adjusted pre-tax profits, up 14.7% and 8.3% respectively, for the year to January 31, 2017.


Independent Chichester DIY shop to close after almost 60 years 21 March 2017

The owners of family-run hardware shop David Messam Ltd of Chichester have made the tough decision to close down due to rising Brexit-related costs, tough competition from the internet and out-of-town retailers as well as dwindling footfall.


Squire's relaunches garden centre 33 years after day one 20 March 2017

Squire’s Garden Centre in Hersham celebrated the official launch of its newly extended and refurbished garden centre last Friday (March 17) – exactly 33 years to the day since it first opened in 1984.


Gardenex secures cash grants for firms exhibiting at Spoga+gafa 20 March 2017

The Gardenex export federation is organising the British group of exhibitors at Spoga+gafa 2017, and has secured Government grants of at least £1000 for eligible companies.


Leekes named Retailer of the Year 20 March 2017

Leekes has been named Retailer of the Year at the prestigious Cardiff Life Awards after applying for the first time.


BHETA members support ITV makeover show 17 March 2017

British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) has reported a great response to an appeal it received looking for members to supply products for forthcoming primetime series: Love Your Home and Garden.


Argos delivers good growth 16 March 2017

Parent company Sainsbury’s reports good like-for-like growth for Argos in fourth quarter.


Conference to focus on challenges and success of GC catering 15 March 2017

The HTA Catering Conference and Dinner – A Piece of Cake? will have talks from garden centre operators, a chef at a five-star London hotel, as well as a look at the latest market information and a discussion on food psychology


Chanterlands DIY displays iconic Hull 'Dead Bod' image 15 March 2017

The owner of Chanterlands DIY and Hardware in Hull has decided to recreate the famous Hull Dead Bod icon on the shutters of his shop as part of a scheme to tidy up the local area.


Koi Carp worth £7k stolen from Squire's 14 March 2017

Ten extra large koi carp and one sturgeon were stolen from the display pond at Squire's Garden Centre in Badshot Lea near Farnham last Friday (March 10).


Trago Mills’ Build Centre almost complete 14 March 2017

Construction well underway on Trago Mills’ new dedicated building materials outlet, set to open in May.


Mega Plant-athons for Garden Re-Leaf Day 14 March 2017

The Garden Re-Leaf Day Plant-athons this year will look to bring an added element of excitement to garden centres when they begin towards the end of next week.


Amazon to speak at BHETA forum 13 March 2017

BHETA’s next networking forum covers a number of e-commerce topics and will feature Amazon category leaders, as guest speakers.


B&Q opens its first small-format high street store 13 March 2017

Kingfisher retailer B&Q, famous for its warehouse-style, out-of-town outlets, has opened its first high street store, at 482, Holloway Road, London.


Gorilla Glue ups the ante with new tape ad 13 March 2017

Gorilla Tape will be the focus of a new TV advertising campaign, which is set to air across mainstream channels, including Sky Sports, ITV Breakfast, Channel 5 and Sky 1, throughout 2017.


Plantfest continues to grow 13 March 2017

Retailers visited two nurseries in Hereford last week to attend PlantFest and to see new product developments for the coming year.


Nicholas Marshall takes the helm at Dobbies 9 March 2017

Former Wyevale boss replaces John Cleland as CEO of the garden centre chain with immediate effect


Bees still at risk, as EU chemicals ban flouted 9 March 2017

European countries have found a way around the ban on so-called bee-harming chemicals in pesticides, taking advantage of a legal loophole that allows “emergency authorisations”


Budget 2017: £435m business rates relief "not enough" 8 March 2017

The 2017 Spring Budget was announced this week, with chancellor Philip Hammond outlining measures including £435m set aside for firms affected by increases in business rates, but retail industry representatives have described this amount as "inadequate" and "a drop in the ocean" compared with the £25bn the tax raises.


Last chance for early bird offer on Global DIY Summit tickest 8 March 2017

Retailers interested in attending this year's Global DIY Summit in Berlin have just days to register for an Early Bird discount, which expires on March 15.


Retail sales “subdued” in February 7 March 2017

UK retail sales fell by 0.4% on a like-for-like basis in February compared with the same month last year, when they had increased by 0.1% from the previous year.


Dobbies targetted by thieves in £3,000 raid 6 March 2017

Water features, ornaments and an ornate five-foot bronze stag have been stolen from Dobbies in Mancetter, near Atherstone.


Garden centre owner jailed for drugs and money laundering 6 March 2017

The owner of Ravenshead Plant Centre near Nottingham has been jailed for eight years following an investigation into money laundering and the production of drugs at the business.


Wyevale Transplant Division celebrates 30th anniversary 6 March 2017

Staff at Wyevale Nurseries’ Transplant Division recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of the company’s opening.


New Squire's in Chertsey opens for business 6 March 2017

Squire’s chairman, deputy chairman and the Mayor of Runnymede councillor Alan Alderson officially opened the new Squire’s Garden Centre in Chertsey on Wednesday, March 1.


TP’s consumer division drives growth 2 March 2017

Travis Perkin’s latest annual results reveal a strong year for its consumer division - which includes Wickes, Toolstation, bathrooms.com and Tile Giant - with a 6.5% like-for-like growth in revenue


Whitehall GC Group acquires Wiltshire independent 2 March 2017

Family-run Woodborough Garden Centre in Wiltshire was advised on the sale of its business to Whitehall by property consultantcy firm Gilbert Evans


Dragon’s Den boost for another DIY product 1 March 2017

Home security device Patlock has joined the ranks of home improvement products reporting a spike in sales after an apperance on BBC Two's Dragon's Den.


Retailers told to prepare for new £1 coin 1 March 2017

In just under a month, a new pound coin will be introduced into circulation and the 30-year-old current coin will begin to be phased out.


Elho staff to run 20 miles for Garden Re-Leaf 1 March 2017

Energetic team members of the Elho UK team are putting on their running (and walking) shoes to raise money for Garden Re-Leaf Day. On March 17, 2017 UK sales manager David Nicholson will be joined by team-members Craig, Louise, Bobby and Adam to complete a 20-mile circuit for the fundraising event, which raises money for industry charity Greenfingers.


RHS reveals design for Chelsea industry exhibit 1 March 2017

The design has been revealed for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show industry showcase exhibit entitled “40 Sunbury Road” and the HTA is calling for its members to help contribute to the garden


Yale launches security drive as it emerges Brits lose 20m spare keys 1 March 2017

Security supplier Yale has launched a new security awareness campaign as new figures have emerged revealing that UK homeowners have shared and subsequently lost track of nearly 20 million spare keys.


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