news ProCook closes Steamer Trading brand


Housewares chain ProCook is permanently closing the Steamer Trading brand, which it saved from administration in January. ProCook originally bought 27


of Steamer Trading’s 38 stores, along with the ecommerce business. Ten underperforming Steamer Trading stores which were not part of the sale closed immediately. One store in Knightsbridge, trading under the Divertimenti brand, was acquired by Steamer Trading founder Ben Phillips. At the end of April, ProCook


closed six Steamer Trading stores at Guildford, Brentwood,


Cardiff, Hereford, Stamford and Witney. Of the 21 remaining Steamer


Trading stores, eight will close on July 14 at Beverley, Chichester, Horsham, Lymington, Northallerton, Saffron Walden, Southampton and St Albans. The website ceased trading on June 31. The 13 remaining stores will


reopen as ProCook. These are at Bishop’s Stortford, Bury St Edmunds, Chester, Cirencester, Harrogate, Thame, Bath, Bristol, Brighton, Dorchester, Eastbourne, Lewes and Truro. The stores that are staying will launch as new ProCook


branches over a two-month schedule from July 25 until the end of


The Beverley store closes on July 14


September, when all stores will become ProCooks. This move will take the total


number of ProCook stores to 50. ProCook owner Daniel O’Neill said: “After six months of trying to get the Steamer Trading model to work, and a significant amount of investment, we have been forced to draw the brand to a close.”


BHETA recruits marketing manager


Former Travis Perkins senior digital and trade marketing manager Stephen Richardson is joining the British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) as its new marketing manager. The role has been created as part of the association’s recent restructure. Stephen has more than 20


years of experience of marketing roles in blue chip organisations. Prior to his


eight-year career at Travis Perkins, he spent 10 years at Focus DIY, latterly as marketing strategy and development controller. Before that he worked in a senior marketing role for giftware manufacturer and importer Collectable World Studios. In his new role, Stephen will


report to BHETA chief operating officer Will Jones. He will combine responsibility for the trade body’s overall positioning, profile, product and membership expansion with responsibility for the Exclusively Shows brand, driving the co-located London


exhibitions Exclusively Housewares and Exclusively Electrical which were acquired outright earlier this year by BHETA. Stephen commented: “It’s an


exciting move for me when you consider the challenges and opportunities in the home enhancement industry at the present time. This role is all about adding value to member businesses and to the home enhancement sector as a whole.” Will added, “Stephen is a


vastly experienced marketeer with in-depth knowledge of the market sectors we represent.”


Grant Simmons retires after 49 years of service


Horwood south-west area sales manager Grant Simmons retired on June 26 after 49 years of service with the Bristol-based housewares supplier. Horwood marketing


manager James Robinson said: “Grant joined Horwood in 1970, starting in the warehouse. Within a few years he got his driving licence, and when the company hit peak time, Grant was asked to do a few local deliveries around Bristol. As legend has it, he managed to double most orders - and Mr Horwood saw an opportunity, and offered him a sales role. Grant never looked back – he was a natural. “For the last 30 years he


has cared for and nurtured his customers in the south- west as if they were family.


We wish him all the best in his retirement.” Horwood national sales


manager Daryl Eastlake added: “Grant was a great ambassador for Horwood. His integrity, honesty and dedication are second to none. He is the perfect example to others: if I, or any of my team, can achieve half of what Grant has during his time at Horwood, I will be very proud. He will be sorely missed and impossible to replace. The final and most telling testament to Grant is that all of his customers would wholeheartedly agree.”


24-hour hike by RDT boss raises £3,500 for charity


Bryan Clover, ceo of Rainy Day Trust (RDT), successfully completed a non-stop 24-hour hiking marathon on June 21 to raise funds for the industry charity’s apprenticeship support programme. He trekked a total of 85.4km (53.4


miles) - and raised over £3,500 including Gift Aid for the programme in the process. Bryan said: “We launched our


apprenticeship support programme about two years ago and since then it has really flown. But it isn’t an easy option, as kids have to crack on with academic work in the evenings too, so it’s almost a 24-hour a day job while they serve their apprenticeship. That’s why I decided to do a 24-hour hike: to raise awareness of apprenticeships and how we support them - and then raise as much money as I could to back the kids up.”


Johnathan Hart gives a guided tour of the mail order warehouse


Harts of Stur celebrates centenary


2019 is Harts of Stur’s centenary year - and the Dorset retailer is marking its special anniversary with a series of events. In mid-June, the company joined forces


with local solicitor Porter Dodson for an exclusive early evening shopping event at its Sturminster Newton store, hosted by managing director Philip Hart and his sons Johnathan and Graham. Guests had the chance to learn about the


business’ online operation and check out the product ranges displayed in-store, whilst enjoying food and drink from local artisan producers and freshly brewed coffee from the Jura coffee machine display. Attendees also took guided tours of the


shop and warehouse operations, and heard about company’s expansion plans, with the architect on site to explain the changes.


6 | housewareslive.net • HousewaresLive.net • twitter.com/Housewaresnews June/July 2019


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