NEWS


Hillview acquires its eleventh garden centre


The Hillview Garden Centre group has bought out Shipley Garden Centre in Derbyshire, bringing its total number of centres to 11. Shipley Garden Centre was run by the Beale family for nearly 30 years before the acquisition was completed on January 26. Hillview Garden Centres ceo Boyd Douglas-Davies said, “It’s a great centre and fits well with our existing stores.” The centre was run by Colin Beale alongside his son Jamie, daughter Louise and son-in- law Phil. Mr Douglas-Davies continued, “Colin, his family and team have created a thriving business which is undoubtedly the locals favourite garden centre. I’m looking forward to working with the team to help the centre develop further and benefit from the advantages of being part of a group.” Hillview’s managing director Nadav Livni added, “This is an exciting new addition for Hillview Garden Centres and continues the growth path of our Group through selective acquisitions. “I am pleased by the successful execution of our long-term strategy to establish a portfolio of ‘local champion’ garden centres, which offer our customers a retail destination experience.”


Totally reveals new date and re-branding for next year


Totally DIY & Tools closed doors on its two-day exhibition at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, this month – and revealed that next year the show will take place in June under the alias of the National DIY Show. The show will move back to a Sunday-Monday format, taking place on June 3 and 4 next year, retaining the Ericsson Hall at the Ricoh as its home. The show also promises to double in size. “Our focus over the last 20 years has been on providing innovative and international products for independent retailers. Returning to a Sunday show opening, we are responding to demands from this key section of our visitors,” says event manager Lucyanne Matthews. “The new show will feature various zones and plans are moving ahead towards a special new forum for the trade.” It was a mixed bag of


responses to this year’s Totally show, with several exhibitors commenting on the compact feel to the exhibition but many reporting strong leads despite this. “It’s been a very good show for us,” enthused Gedbra company director Brian Jones, whose new product Quikset Pro impressed judges in the BHETA Innovation Zone. “We’ve exhibited four times at Totally and this year in particular we’ve had loads of good leads.”


Hinges supplier A. Perry also had positive things to say, with sales manager Patrick Corcoran telling DIY Week: “It’s not been a bad show for us... I’d say it’s a bit quieter than last year but we have seen many prospective customers as well as several existing, so it’s been fairly positive.”


When asked whether the company would be back next year, given the planned changes,


Footfall fluctuated over the show’s two-day duration


Mr Corcoran said that they would “see what happens,” adding that “we want to keep the brand with Totally but we have to weigh up whether it will be worthwhile. Having said that, it only takes one really good customer to make exhibiting worth it.”


The company also exhibited at Spring Fair, though not in the new DIY sector launched this year.


Profits slide at Dunelm Mill


Profit before tax dropped by 11.3% at Dunelm Mill during the 26 weeks to December 31, 2016, despite a 2.8% upturn in sales – boosted, in part, by the retailer’s acquisition of Worldstores.


Shipley Garden Centre has become part of the Hillview Group


Sales stood at £460.5m for the half, revised to £452.4m when excluding Worldstores. Revenue dropped 1.6% like-for- like for the sales period. Profit before tax and exceptionals was down 11.3%, with EPS (fully diluted) down 10.6% and free cash flow down 65.5%. Bosses described trading as “softer than expected” due to “a weaker market and some short term supply chain disruption.” Five new stores were opened


during the trading period, with a further five forecast for the remainder of the financial year. Said chief executive officer John Browett: “We are in a transitional year for Dunelm and it has been a particularly busy first half – whilst we are operating in a challenging retail environment, especially in homewares, we remain focused on investing in and developing our business for the future. “We are still in the midst of this exciting journey, and whilst trading was slightly softer than we would have liked due to a weaker market, we continue to increase our share.” He added: “We remain committed to our long-term plans for the business... We


opened five new stores in the period and have more openings and refits planned in the second half. Our home delivery channel continues to perform well and our acquisition of Worldstores will accelerate our online capabilities and growth potential. “Dunelm’s business model


remains one that is hard to replicate, and we continue to generate significant levels of cash for shareholders.”


Cardiff family call time on 65-year-old wallpaper shop


The Jones family, who have run F. A. Jones Ltd decorating supplies shop since 1951, have decided to close their business due to retirement and added pressure from multiple competitors. F. A. Jones Ltd was first incorporated in 1951 by husband and wife Fredrick and Phyllis Jones. After dabbling in several ventures, Mr and Mrs Jones finally settled in the wallpaper and paint retail industry, where three of their children – Gerald, Jennifer and Brian – eventually joined them.


Son Brian Jones told DIY


Week: “The shop on Penarth Road in Grangetown [was] so well established that customers


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flocked from all over South Wales, as well as all the local customers. Both Fred and Gloria worked hard to create a thriving business and they instilled in their offspring the work hard ethic. “As you can see [from photo, right] sale time created a huge response [and] I think it is fair to say the shop is the only wallpaper and paint store to generate a queue at sale day, even when the snow was on the ground.”


The Jones family went on to open as many as seven shops in Cardiff, located in Clare Road, Whitchurch Road, Clifton Street, Cowbridge Road, Albany Road, James Street, and of course the original premises in


“We were in the Gift department and had a lot of interest in our metal garden art. We actually did £35,000 worth of sales in the first day of the show, it was unbelievable! I think the DIY sector worked well and we may well exhibit there next year.” For a detailed review of the


show, see the March 10 issue of DIY Week.


Squire’s opens re-vamped Chertsey branch


Squire’s Garden Centre in Chertsey is now open after a complete re-build. The boutique garden centre has a new outdoor plant area, a garden centre shop with a range of gifts, and a brand new café bar.


The family-run business spent £1.5million on building the new garden centre, with Chairman Colin Squire very involved with both the design and build. Deputy chairman Sarah


Squire commented on the Chertsey centre: “We are delighted to open our new garden centre in Chertsey. It has a totally fresh outdoor plant area, new shop and new Café Bar – which is in a octagonal lodge building that dates back to the Napoleonic wars. “Chertsey is a small but perfectly formed garden centre where you can find what you need and be back in your garden in no time.”


The new centre is located on Holloway Hill, Chertsey.


F. A. Jones has been in the Jones family for over 65 years.


Penarth Road. Eventually they condensed the business into one 6,000sq ft store.


“In those early years, the shop was home to some 14 staff,” added Mr Jones. “It’s hard to believe that today it is run by only four – a sign of the times.


The introduction of the multi- nationals have taken their toll on the independent retail industry.” The shop is run today by


brothers Gerald and Brian, who, both having passed retirement age, have taken the difficult decision to close down.


The new-look centre set Squire’s back £1.5m


24 FEBRUARY 2017 DIY WEEK 3


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