With more than 36,000 reported incidents of abuse and violence against retailers last year, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has issued guidelines with advice on how to protect employees. 

An ironmonger who has worked in his Cumbrian shop since he was a schoolboy is now closing down the business for good. 

Staff at Slees Home Hardware in Braunton, Devon are celebrating after hearing they had won Home Hardware's Dulux window dressing competition. 

A stabilised Irish DIY market has seen a revival in the fortunes of the Woodie's chain, and helped parent company Grafton Group deliver an 8% annual rise in revenue. 

Garsons Garden Centre in Titchfield, Hampshire has invested £2.4m in its catering offer by awarding a new five-year contract to Compass Group's Instore business. 

A committee of MPs has urged the government to reform business rates in a bid to save the UK high street. 

Web app launched by Bathrooms.com to help consumers solve DIY problems in the bathroom. 

Janet and John Hawksworth of J&J Hardware, Saffron Lane, Leicester, retire after running store for 30 years. 

Leading garden brand The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and wholesaler Solus Garden & Leisure have revealed plans that would see the businesses join forces in the UK. 

2013 was a milestone year for the hand tools and security supplier, who reported a significant increase in sales thanks to a number of marketing-led and sales driven initiatives. 

Travis Perkins has conducted a survey among homeowners, which reveals what consumers think about apprentices and training. 

Growing activity in the housing market delivered a good year for builder's merchant and DIY group Travis Perkins, but investment in pricing proved a drag on profits at its Wickes business. 

Despite the wet weather in recent months, retailers experienced rapid growth in sales in the year to February, beating all expectations. 

Homebase has added more than 100 pieces of furniture, garden accessories, pots and planters to its outdoor living range for this year. 

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned Victoria Plum, trading as Victoria Plumb, from showing a misleading advert from its Autumn Savings Event again. 

Two brothers have opened Lea Road Hardware in Penn Fields, Wolverhampton because they claimed the community desperately needed a hardware store after the closure of three others in the area. 

Even though much of the UK was hit by rain and wind at the beginning of the year, a milder start to 2014 has seen outdoor plant sales rise by 41% at GCA garden centres when compared to last year. 

Garden King garden centre in Newhall has revealed plans for expansion that will include a brand new restaurant. 

A crowd of bird enthusiasts attended the official opening of a newly-refurbished bird hide at Millbrook Garden Centre near Gravesend earlier this month. 

The boards of EDRA and fediyma have announced that Ray Colman, the ex-chief executive officer of Woodie's DIY Ireland, will receive the European Home Improvement Lifetime Award.