NEWS | Round-up
Crown Imperial chairman Michael Head passes away
MICHAEL HEAD, chairman of Crown Imperial, passed away after a short illness on Thursday, September 30.
Michael Head was the son of Len Head who founded the British furniture manufacturer in 1946.
Current managing director and Michael Head’s son Barry Head, reflected on the pivotal role his father played in the family business: “Having joined the business immediately after
leaving school at the age of 16, he quickly took on increasingly important roles in the company and ultimately became managing director in 1966. “He oversaw the expansion of the company as a contract supplier to the Government through the 1970s and then the overnight transition to kitchen furniture manufacture after the contract business evaporated in 1980. His vision to keep investing in production efficiency throughout the 1980s and
beyond positioned the business well to support the integration of our two distribution customers after 2009. “Although he never officially retired,
2015 saw him ‘change his working practices’ and from this point onwards his visits to the factory were less frequent. Having only ever had one job, however, his support and interest
in the performance of the
business never waned. He will be greatly missed.”
BMA among 40 trade associations to join CBI in call for business rates reform
THE BMA has joined with 40 other trade associations to back the CBI’s call to Chancellor Rishi Sunak to reform business rates in the next Budget.
The Government has confirmed that there will be policy announcements this autumn as part of the long-awaited reform to the business rates system. The Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) and the other trade associations lobbying for reforms represent more than 261,000 businesses and nine million employees. The Confederation of British Industry
(CBI) has criticised the current business rates system as uncompetitive, unproductive and unfair and has issued a joint statement to the Chancellor (pictured), along with 40 other trade associations, including the BMA and British Retail Consortium (BRC). This outlines how the right action in the Budget and reform to the business rates system could unleash a wave of
business investment in some of the Government’s priority areas. The CBI pointed out that half of UK business investment is potentially subject to business rates and that the current system gives no incentive for investment in decarbonisation or
wider investment that could
improve productivity. Speaking about the decision to back
this lobby for business rates reform, BMA chief executive Tom Reynolds said: “The reason we’re supporting this statement calling for business rates reform is not only because of the benefits to our own members’ businesses. A more sensible approach to rates would greatly benefit our channel partners in independent retail. When KBB retailers have the
conditions to thrive, so do suppliers.” CBI chief economist Rain Newton- Smith said: “Action to get investment flowing into and around the UK is sorely needed to reinforce our recovery. The Chancellor has an opportunity to fix this, starting with fundamental business rates reform at the Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review. By setting out an approach that attracts investment, he can equip the UK with the tools it needs to
secure the high-wage, high-
productivity and high-skill economy of the future.”
The CBI statement called for the Government to act now to: • Reduce the overall burden of the business rates system to unlock business investment; • Increase the frequency of business rates revaluations and ensure rates adjust quickly to economic changes; • Create a ‘Greener’ business rates system to support the Government’s net zero ambition.
The Kitchen Group acquires its seventh showroom
THE OWNER of The Kitchen Group says he has now achieved his ambition of becoming the “biggest independent German kitchen retailer” in the UK with the acquisition of an existing showroom in Milton Keynes. Kitchen Group managing director Liam Hopper (pictured) has acquired the trading assets and intellectual property
of the Kitchen Matters
showroom in Milton Keynes, as the former owners were looking to exit the business.
Through its network of Kitchen Design Centre showrooms, The Kitchen Group specialises in Leicht kitchens and the Kitchen Matters store in Milton Keynes, now its seventh, was
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already a Leicht specialist. The existing showroom manager will remain with the business.
Hopper told kbbreview: “My ambition was to build the largest independent German kitchen company in the UK. I really want to shout about what I have done. It is unique. I was always thirsty to be the biggest and I think I have achieved that.”
Speaking about KBB retailing in the UK, which differs from the chain- dominated model in Europe, Hopper commented: “The strongest will survive, but the ones that will
really
succeed and go big are the ones that take the risk. And for me, I am not interested in doing a couple of hundred grand here and there, maybe a million,
it’s not enough for me. I have to go bigger, bigger, bigger.
“I have to keep going and if I have a model that is working, why stop? At the moment, our sales are good and as long as you can understand numbers, balance sheets and profit and loss, and I have a very good business understanding, then the model is quite easy to roll out.” Hopper’s strategy has been to take over existing kitchen retailers that have either gone bust or where the existing owners are looking to exit the business. The new Milton Keynes showroom joins The Kitchen Group’s other six stores in Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Battersea, Finchley Road, Kendal and Nottingham.
· November 2021
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