NEWS | Round-up
CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL
Top retailers brace themselves for coronavirus disruption
LEADING KBB retailers have outlined their immediate reaction to the uncertainty of the coronavirus situation, warning that while there has been minimal impact so far, a severe few months is imminent.
Jim Geddes, managing director of Kitchens by JS Geddes, said this was “certainly the most challenging issue in 35 years of business”. “We have had a couple of clients postponing meetings over the weekend,” he said. “But on the positive we sold three good projects over the weekend. Footfall is down but there are still clients wanting kitchens – we just need to ensure that
it’s us they come to.”
Geddes, who was named Kitchen Retailer of the Year at the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards earlier this month, said that at this stage keeping staff safe was the main priority and updating clients on the current status of the business.
“As a business, we believe communication is vital to ensure that orders or potential orders won’t be lost,” he said.
Like many retailers, Kitchens by JS Geddes has asked that no supplier sales reps or area managers visit the business in person. “We need to keep going and be as positive as possible over the coming
KBSA chair: I’m worried for my business”
THE CHAIRMAN of the KBSA Richard Hibbert, MD at KSL in Sudbury, has voiced his concerns for the long-term effect of this situation. The KBB retail sector was already struggling thanks to the effects of Brexit, he said, and the current problems could be the killer blow. “There are a lot of businesses of all sizes struggling,” he said. “We were one of them and have been fi ghting hard to keep moving on. Since mid-December we have been doing well and footfall is still good with only minor supply issues. “My main worry is, with the lockdown coming, we will have supply issues and [customers] will delay plans as again they will not know what the future looks like. We will continue to keep the showroom clean and open, our service levels high and hope things are not as bad as feared. “I know a lot of independents cannot survive much more disruption. It shows that the Government should’ve got a grip on Brexit years ago to give us all a fi ghting chance to have grown before another kick. This sounds very negative I know, but I do worry for businesses – including my own.”
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weeks – it will return to normal in time and we need to be strong to survive,” Geddes said. Wayne Lyons, the managing director of Soaks Bathrooms in Belfast, said that he had already cancelled the imminent purchase of a new 10,000sq ft warehouse. “We were due to complete on March 18, but fortunately my solicitor had not sent the contract to the vendors,” he said. “We have now decided not to proceed. A £500,000 investment in a warehouse is not a wise move at present and we’ll rent additional space for the short term.” Lyons went on to warn of dark times ahead for unprepared retailers.
“I believe there are very diffi cult times ahead for all types of businesses, apart from those that supply cleaning goods,” he said. “I think that any business without a good fi nancial standing is going to be in diffi culty over the coming months with a countrywide business shutdown imminent “At Soaks our prime objective is to keep our 15 staff healthy, we are a family and this takes precedence over everything else. We must do all we can to make sure we at Soaks create a safe environment for our customers. There are very diffi cult times ahead for our industry and only the strong viable businesses will survive, it’s time to knuckle down.”
KBBG members get early bonus to help boost business
RETAILERS WHO are members of the Kitchen Bathroom Buying Group (KBBG) – part of the Der Kreis organisation – will get their annual members’ suppliers bonus payment early in a bid to support them through the disruption.
The payment is traditionally paid in the summer, but the plan is now to make an interim payment to qualifying members ‘as soon as possible’. Bill
Miller, managing director of the KBBG/Der Kreis UK, said: “The impact of the virus on the kitchen and bathroom independent market is devastating. The
year had started positively with members reporting a busy start and plenty of showroom traffi c. There was certainly a very positive attitude leading up to the kbb show.
“Since the coronovirus outbreak, members have reported that footfall is virtually non-existent and that’s leading to concerns about both the short and long-term future. In response to this unprecedented situation, we are looking to bring forward our annual bonus payment to
qualifying KBBG
members. This will give many of our members a real fi nancial injection just when they need it.”
· April 2020
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