NEWS


Retailers urged to make sure plants are


neonicotinoid free


Rapid loses half its staff as store prepares for closure


After the Liverpool store went into administration earlier this month, more than half the employees at Rapid Discount Outlet have lost their jobs. The shop has officially kicked


Pressure is mounting on garden centres and retailers to take action after pesticides linked to bee decline have been discovered in ‘pollinator- friendly’ garden plants. New research by the University of Sussex revealed that garden plants found for sale in a number of retail outlets were contaminated with bee-harming pesticides – including plants carrying a ‘pollinator-friendly’ label.


The research on neonicotinoids and plants, the first of its kind to be carried out


in the UK,


was led by bee expert Professor David Goulson. Of the 29 plants examined at Sussex University, over 70% contained neonicotinoid pesticides – including three pesticides


restricted across


Europe that have been found to pose a ‘high acute risk’ to honeybees. According to a report in one national paper, a type of heather bought from Wyevale contained five insecticides, as well as five fungicides. Plants species purchased for testing included lavender, dahlias, foxgloves, crocuses, allium, salvia and bellflowers and, of the plants tested, 15 bore the ‘Perfect for Pollinators’ RHS logo. The study, which will be published in the scientific journal Environmental Pollution, revealed that the levels of neonic traces found in the pollen and nectar of the plants were similar to those found in the pollen of treated agricultural crops. The


report concluded:


“All of the retailers we tested were selling


plants containing


highly variable combinations of potentially harmful chemicals, so that any purchaser is playing “Russian roulette” with their garden pollinators.’ Environmental groups are now calling on retailers to take action over the findings. According to new YouGov survey for Friends of the Earth (FOE), 78% of the British public agree that garden centres and retailers should not sell plants grown with pesticides that are harmful to bees. Thousands of people have also taken part in a FOE action calling on Homebase and Wyevale to ensure their plants are free from neonicotinoids linked to bee decline.


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off a closing down sale after administrators Duff & Phelps confirmed that they have yet to find a buyer. Of the approximate 50 staff members at the site, 28 have now lost their jobs, including Rapid’s three directors. A further 20 staff are still working at the Basnett Street store and, according to the administrators, will continue to


do so until the closing down sale is completed.


formed in 2013 by the former owners


its Rapid Hardware. In a statement last week, a


Duff & Phelps spokesperson said: “The joint administrators are continuing to market the business and assets for sale and soliciting offers from interested parties. [Meanwhile] the administrators are working their way through the existing orders and will be in touch with customers directly in each case.”


New £10m HQ for Tile Mountain Wickes worker pockets almost


Online retailer Tile Mountain has just received a seven figure funding package to facilitate its expansion to a five acre site in Tunstall, Stoke on Trent. The acquisition was supported with a loan from the Royal Bank of Scotland, and Tile Mountain has now moved into the £10m purpose-built head office and distribution centre, which it says will “provide more suitable space for the expanding business to operate from.”


The 12,000sq ft building comprises warehousing, showroom and office space. Established in 2013, Tile Mountain is today run by two of its original founders, former Tile Giant owner Mo Iqbal and ex Topps Tiles commercial director Jeremy Harris. Over the last four years it has


become one of the fastest growing online tile retailers, experiencing 60% year-on- year growth for the last three years. Plans are in place to


create 70 new jobs over the next three years as a result of


the company’s


successes. RBS has provided Tile Mountain with the funding to support the


£10m purchase,


development and relocation costs of the new premises. Tile Mountain managing


Tile Mountain directors Mo Iqbal and Jeremy Harris with Steve Jackson of the Royal Bank of Scotland


director Jeremy Harris said: “We are thrilled with the new site. It has been specifically designed to meet our growing business needs and has enable us to greatly improve our operational efficiency. “Steve Jackson and the team


that we have worked with at Royal Bank of Scotland have been a great support to us throughout this exciting time. The funding process has been handled very smoothly and has enable us to create this outstanding facility.”


Hare Hatch Sheeplands closes concessions as council row continues


Several concession businesses have been forced to move out of Twyford-based garden centre Hare Hatch Sheeplands after an injunction was granted to Wokingham Borough Council for the business to stop “illegal trading.” According to Wokingham


Borough Council, the business only had permission to operate as a plant nursery, cafe and shop, with no permissions granted for several other businesses operating from the site including a fishmonger, pet food store and antiques dealer. An injunction was granted by the High Court for these extra businesses to cease trading by May 1. The garden centre has been the subject of enforcement action since 2012 when owner Rob Scott


was accused of extending the site’s cafe and play area unlawfully and breaching the green belt surrounds. The garden centre’s concessions Bell Antiques, Petstop, Quality Garden Buildings, and Granite Transformations, have now left the site. Deep


End Pools has


relocated to a nearby Wyevale garden centre, while Garden Trends has been served with notice to leave.


The site’s overflow car park has been levelled and seeded with grass.


Several concessions have been forced to leave, as the centre returns to its core business


to Mr Scott explained: “We are


returning to our core business and are now looking for support from the council in our efforts


remain financially viable.


Meanwhile for the shop, cafe and nursery our loyal customers have


been wonderful by continuing to support us.“


An employee at Wickes recently pleaded guilty to swindling almost £10,000 in fake refunds


26 MAY 2017 DIY WEEK 3


£10k in fake refunds


James Parsons,


recently sentenced to months


30, was 10


imprisonment,


suspended for 18 months, at Reading Crown Court after pleading guilty to stealing almost £10,000 by issuing fake refunds at Wickes in Newbury. Mr Parsons pocketed a total of £9,653.51 between August 1 and November 18, 2016 through 65 fake transactions. He would enter fake product codes into the computer system at the branch where he worked in order to create the fraudulent returns. A search of


his home in


Newbury also revealed goods worth £405,46 from the Wickes store. Mr Parsons pled guilty at Reading Magistrates Court on March 2, receiving his sentence on April 27. He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, 30 sessions of a thinking skills programme, 10 days of rehabilitation and will have to pay £8,500 to Wickes in Newbury within the next 18 months.


Rapid Discount Outlet was of


predeccessor,


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