Retailers have reported a strong rise in sales volumes during the first two and a half weeks of October, according to the latest Distributive Trades Survey from the CBI. 

Retailers across the garden, DIY and homewares market have been getting into the spirit of Halloween, and their efforts won't be in vain according to UK Point of Sale, who says the season will be the third most significant for retailers behind Christmas and Easter this year. 

A significant over-supply of retail property is contributing to a gloomy picture of the overall commercial real estate construction market. 

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has announced it is fully supporting government legislation banning the import and movement of ash trees in the UK. 

Next upped its forecast for annual pre-tax profit today as it revealed its performance for the third quarter to October 27. 

A travel plug adaptor and a power inverter have both been withdrawn from the market because they can give users an electric shock. 

Another high-profile name has given its support to the DIY Week 2012 Awards. 

The new avocado knife from Kuhn Rikon's successful Colori collection of kitchen knives and gadgets has won an international design accolade. 

Somerset's former Town & Country Hardware store has been transformed into Ilminster Home Hardware, and new owners Phillip and Kate Wyatt launched the store officially earlier this month with the help of the town mayor Roger Swann. 

A West Dunbartonshire garden centre has been fined for discharging insufficiently-treated sewage into a local waterway. 

Since Ironmongery Direct moved to its premises in Basildon a year ago the company has reported that new customers are up 26% on last year and on track to recruit 60,000 new customers this year alone. 

UK discount retailer B&M is among a handful of retailers across Europe that could be challenging the likes of Tesco and Carrefour within 10 to 15 years. 

A specially-designed kitchen and building materials worth £10,000 have been donated by the Travis Perkins Group to Antarctic expedition The Coldest Journey, led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. 

The organisers of Christmasworld have put together a special package for UK visitors that includes a trip to the show and a tour of leading German garden centres around Frankfurt. 

Former DIY Week news editor Martyn Hocking died on Friday October 19 after a battle with cancer. He was 48. 

Just one month after its acquisition of Nupla, QEP has now taken on two more companies - Ludell and Imperial Industries. 

Acting Garden Centre Group ceo Stephen Murphy has announced that the 129-centre chain could expand by up to 70 more centres in the next five to seven years. 

Wilmslow Garden Centre has reopened following last June's devastating fire at the Cheshire outlet. 

UK segment sales at the multi-channel brand were up 2.6% for the 52 weeks ending September 1, 2012. 

The third quarter of 2012 has seen retail employment grow by the fastest rate in two years, as well as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 1%, pulling the UK out of the longest double-dip recession since World War II.