NEWS
B&Q employees take centre stage in new TV ad…
B&Q launched its latest TV advert, as part of its spring campaign. According to B&Q, the aim of the campaign is “to remind customers that whatever their home improvement need or challenge, B&Q always has a brilliant solution, and that B&Q colleagues are enthusiastic problem solvers – always on hand to help them achieve their projects.” This
latest campaign sees
B&Q employees once again take centre stage, reflecting their position at the heart of the brand. The latest ad in the spring series launched on April 6. The ad is fronted by a team of B&Q colleagues who come to a customer’s rescue by effortlessly improving his garden in a series of synchronised moves. No camera trickery was used, with everything filmed in real time. A kitchen ad has also been filmed using similar production techniques.
Tough market brings sales down at Topps Tiles
Sales were down 4.1% during Q2 at Topps Tiles, bringing the results for its first half to -1.9%, a result of “tough market conditions,” according to boss Matthew Williams. In the trading update for the 26 weeks ending April 1, total revenue was £106.5million, down
from £108m for the
same period last year. Like- for-likes decreased by 1.9%. Trading in the second quarter was particularly slow,
reflecting “softer market conditions” as well
as an unfavourable comparison with last year, when housing transactions accelerated ahead of the Stamp Duty changes in April 2016.
for full year profits are “within the
Management current
range
expectations of
analyst
forecasts”, a conclusion based on “an improving trend across the second quarter and a prudent view of the second half.” The first half saw good growth
from Topp’s new XL range of tiles and extensions to the wood
tile offer. The gains here helped offset the lost sales following the retailer’s exit from low margin wood flooring. The net position is estimated at around 1% less sales and a small positive on a gross profit basis. Ten new stores were opened
and three closed during the 26 weeks. The group now trades from 358 stores, including 16 boutique. Around 15 new stores are expected to be opened during the current financial year. Said CEO Matthew Williams:
“Market second
conditions quarter
over have the been
tougher, but the business has responded well with tight control of costs. While we are taking a prudent view on the outlook for the balance of 2017, an improving trend over the second quarter provides some encouragement. We will continue to invest in the business and focus on executing our strategy of Out Specialising the Specialists to extend our market leading
position second half of the year.” DFS reports sales and profit rise in H2
Strong results in the second half of the year mean furniture retailer DFS will post record results for the full 12-month period, as gross sales exceed £1bn for the first time. DFS Furniture plc announced
Real B&Q staff are shown helping a family improve their garden
its half-year results for the 26 weeks ended January 28, 2017, with group revenue up 6.8% to £379.9million and pre-tax profit up 3.1% to £16.7million. The
positive performance means that gross sales for
…as chain is accused of not caring for disabled customers
A B&Q branch in Worthing has apologised to a disabled customer after she accused the retailer of discrimination following repeated issues with parking at the store. Michelle Riddy told local press how she has repeatedly found the disabled bays at the store filled with trolleys, large stock items and cages. She recently went shopping
for sandpaper
at the store only to find the bays filled once again. “I was so frustrated and annoyed,” she said. “It’s like they think disabled people can’t do DIY.”
Mrs Riddy took photos of the bays and complained to B&Q via Facebook, saying:
“Great
job caring about disabled customers yet again at Worthing B&Q! It’s disgusting how almost all the disabled bays are always blocked by trolleys and sales stock … I’ve complained to the manager more times than I can count, to no effect – but then I’m disabled and you are clearly
www.diyweek.net
showing your utter disregard for us so of course my complaints to the manager apparently don’t matter. Sort it out, B&Q!” A B&Q spokesperson saying
responded, that the
store’s website pointed out this particular branch only had five disabled bays found around the left side of the store, which are “fully available and not blocked” and that the store’s staff had “been given permission from head office to use the other spaces … which will no longer be classes as disabled spaces anymore, and the disabled signs will be getting removed.” Mrs Riddy disputed this and said of the spaces: “There is one if you are lucky.” Meanwhile, other customers with disabilities have responded, taking to Facebook to vent their frustrations over service at B&Q stores. Worthing B&Q has since apologised and restored the spaces for use by disabled customers.
12 month period exceed £1 billion for the first time in the company’s history and lead to the announcement of a special dividend of 9.5p per share being declared. The group, which operates subsidiaries Sofa Workshop and Dwell, said the results demonstrated that its growth strategy is on track and continued its UK and ROI store roll-out, opening two new 10-15,000sq ft DFS stores in
the UK, with one further opening planned for early April. Its DFS small store trial has also been extended, with a new Crawley store trading profitably and the group has been busy optimising its retail space, with 17 new co-located stores opened: 15 Dwell, and two Sofa Workshop. Meanwhile, the retailer continued
reported double
digit growth in online traffic and transactions for the half. DFS CEO Ian Filby said of
the results: “The scale of our business, which is larger than our next four UK competitors combined, gives us significant advantages... We are confident that our size, combined with the flexibility of our cost base and vertically integrated business model means that DFS is particularly well positioned to respond to economic headwinds and cost pressures while continuing to grow our share of the UK retail furniture market.”
Eastleigh GC bought in HSBC-backed deal Arturi Garden Centre in
Eastleigh has been acquired and re-branded by the owners of the on-site Orangery Tea Rooms.
Now known as The Garden
Society, the garden centre was snapped up by business partners Samuel Baker and Aaron Duck at the start of January, after its previous owners Graham and
Suzette Arturi retired.
The duo had been operating the tea rooms at
the centre
for the past eight years before the opportunity to acquire the wider business arose. They were supported with the purchase by a five-figure finance package from HSBC.
The business partners now operate the whole site, which includes the garden centre, the aquatic and reptile centre, the Orangery Tea Rooms and the farm store. They also rent additional space to concessionary businesses, which offer landscaping, artificial grass and conservatories.Work has already begun refurbishing
in the
the garden centre’s restaurant. The whole operation currently employs 34 people, though Mr Baker and Mr Duck have plans to significantly increase its workforce over the next six to 12 months. HSBC’s Regional Director for
the Western & Wales region, Nigel B Davis commented: “Sam and Aaron are ambitious businessmen who approached HSBC with a clear strategy for
the growth of their new venture. We worked closely with them in the months leading up to the acquisition to put together a finance package that best supported their plans and we’re already in talks about how we can fund the next phase of
this exciting development.
We look forward to seeing the business grow and continuing our relationship with Sam and Aaron.”
14 APRIL 2017 DIY WEEK 3
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