Toby Roberts, owner of independent hardware shop chain D&G Hardware, has added the fifth store to his expanding portfolio of stores.
He has announced the acquisition of Tanchoux Ironmongers in Grayshott, just south of Guildford in Surrey. The shop has traded from the site for 107 years and, when the previous owners decided to retire and put the shop on the market Mr Roberts jumped at the chance - "we're chuffed to bits" he told DIY Week.

Mr Roberts, who has taken home gold at Britain's Best Retailer Awards three years running, said there were no plans to re-brand the store and that the Tanchoux name would remain.

However, he added, the shop is currently undergoing a bit of a refit and a rationalisation process - "there's 107 years of mess there," he said. Longer term there are plans to double the floorspace, as the shop is currently the smallest in his chain, "so there's some money to be spent on it," he said.

Apart from that, the only other change locals are likely to notice is that Tanchoux will now remain open on Wednesday afternoons, having previously closed early.

Mr Roberts said that while there was no immediate announcement to be made about shop number six, he did have irons in the fire and that "some are warmer than others".