NEWS


Huge blaze engulfes Gardman warehouse in Daventry


HTA introduces recycling scheme for members


The HTA has launched a Recycling Scheme for its members which will enable businesses of all sizes to responsibly recycle their plastic and other waste and enhance their green credentials. Partnering with Ecogen, the scheme will provide a cost saving solution for most by reducing the need for skips and amount of waste going to landfill. For those that have the ability to accumulate volume, ideally


it could even provide a source of


income. Ecogen, who


through bailing, is


fully accredited, registered and licensed in all aspects of specialist waste recycling, already work with a number of garden centres and wholesale nurseries across the country. There are a number of solutions on hand depending on the size of the business and the amount of plastic generated. HTA director of operations, Martin Simmons, commented: “Plastics and recycling have become even higher on the national


coverage on Blue Planet II showing


agenda how


waste plastic


impacts our natural world. Within the garden industry we do have a responsibility to recycle what we currently use, as well as develop innovative alternative solutions.” Members wishing to take part in the HTA Plastics Recycling Scheme should visit www.hta. org.uk/recycling for further information.


since the


More than 50 firefighters were called to the building, owned by garden centre suppliers Gardman, in Parsons Road late on Sunday (March 11, 2018). The roof appears to have collapsed


and smoke could


be seen for miles around on Monday afternoon.


Nobody is believed to have been injured but fire officers are expected to remain at the site for several days.


Deputy chief fire officer David


Harding, from Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, told BBC News: “It will be some time yet before investigators can gain access to the building however, police have launched an arson investigation.” Gardman issued this statement on their website, which said: “Shortly


midnight on 12th March a major fire broke out at the Garman warehouse in Daventry. “At this time there are not believed to be any casualties and the Northants Fire Brigade are attending the site. The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated by the authorities.


“At this time we have no access


to the site, a major incident team has been set up and we all updated you as and when we have more detail.” Video footage of the fire was


after


released by Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service. On March 19 2018 Gardman updated its website with a new statement which reads: “Following the fire at our warehouse in Daventry on 12th March, we can confirm that we


Image sourced from Twitter account @AndrewCruzeUK


will use our warehouse at Kings Lynn to supply customers until a permanent warehousing solution has been identified. Through next week, we will divert our stock sat at UK ports and stock arriving from overseas to the


Bunnings Warehouse opens for business in Walton-on-Thames


Home improvement and garden retailer Bunnings Warehouse officially opened its doors in Walton-on-Thames on 15 March.


The new store, which is on the site of the former Homebase on New Zealand Avenue, is 34,000 square feet and offers customers a wide range of global market- leading brands.


Bunnings’ team members


have already been busy ahead of today’s store opening, helping with projects in the Walton-on-Thames area. These included fixing the scout hut guttering for the Walton Sea Scouts and painting planters and repairing shed roofing for


projects.”


Bunnings latest store opening was in London’s Penge, the first Bunnings store to open after Wesfarmers’ announcement of “a review of Bunnings UK and Ireland (BUKI) has commenced to identify the actions required to improve shareholder returns.” Since then Wesfarmers has


students at Walton Oak School. Walton-on-Thames complex manager, Roy Tripp, said: “All our team members have worked really hard to get the store ready for opening and have undertaken many hours of training to make sure we have the expertise to help customers with home or garden


reported a huge loss from BUKI, before interest and tax it reported a loss of £97 million ($165 million) for the half, compared to a loss of £28 million ($48 million) in the prior corresponding period. Revenue for BUKI decreased 15.5% to £517 million (15.7% to $875 million).


Chancellor’s statement paints a mixed picture for retail


Chancellor Philip Hammond, released the Spring Statement today, which although announced upgraded projections for growth, as well as predictions of falling inflation, debt and borrowing - his speech also addressed various issues in the retail sector,


including business


rates, a digital tax, and measures to reduce plastic waste.


Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, Helen Dickinson OBE, said: “Despite


the upward revision


of forecasts announced by the Chancellor today, the economic picture remains fairly bleak,


www.diyweek.net


with the OBR expecting private consumption to make a lower contribution to growth this year. “That will only add to the challenges of the


re-focus attention to what is going on in retail in the UK at present.”


On business rates current


trading environment. The industry is undergoing rapid structural change as technology revolutionises the way we shop and operating costs escalate, at the same time as inflation continues to outpace wage growth; eating into consumers’ spending power and keeping overall sales growth low. “The cumulative effect of these


prevailing retail headwinds has unfortunately been highlighted by the recent casualties on the high street, which should


revaluations: “We welcome the Chancellor’s decision to move forward the next revaluation by a year to 2021 as a step in the right direction. More frequent revaluations are no easy task and require strong collaboration and exchange of information jointly between the Valuation Office and ratepayers.” On a call for


to explore a digital tax: “The Government needs to look more widely than simply focusing on digital tax, instead looking across all elements of business taxation.


Wilko to open new store in Meadowhall Centre


One of Britain’s best loved value home


and garden retailers,


Wilko, opened its doors to its new store at Meadowhall Centre, on Wednesday March 21 at 10am. To mark the special occasion, Dancing on Ice star Jake Quickenden attended as guest of honour, and cut the ribbon alongside Wilko’s retail director, Anthony


Houghton, Meadowhall Wilko branch manager,


Andrew Priest, and a representative from one of Wilko’s charity partners, Alzheimer’s Society. The launch day activity included


goody bags including £10 gift cards for the first 100 shoppers, a meet and greet with Dancing on Ice star Jake Quickenden (until 11am), and free cupcakes for shoppers. Wilko Meadowhall Manager,


evidence


Andrew Priest said: “The team was busy preparing the final touches to the store ahead of the official opening on Wednesday 21 March. We are very excited to welcome the customers to come and see our new look store and wide range of products at every day stay low prices.”


23 MARCH 2018 DIY WEEK 5


Kings Lynn site. We are also planning to supply an essential range of Wild Bird Care products from our UK and European suppliers, again through our Kings Lynn facility. We estimate it will take us five days to get our operation up and running. Therefore, we are planning first shipments w/c 26th March. We will confirm the exact details of the range next week. In the meantime, we continue to liaise with Northamptonshire Police and the other emergency services and remain thankful that there were no injuries. “We have received many


expressions of support from our customers and suppliers and we would like to thank you all for your patience during this difficult period as we put our recovery plan into action.


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