NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF


n John Lewis & Partners has announced that, following a successful trial, it is rolling out a new progressive supplier engagement programme called ‘Better Jobs’ to all of its 120 UK manufacturing suppliers. The purpose of the Better Jobs Programme, which is free to suppliers and replaces traditional ethical audits, is to create more rewarding and enriching jobs for the people who make John Lewis own brand products. n Green-fingered Brits have spent an average of £105 each sprucing up their gardens with a makeover since the start of lockdown, equating to £3.7 billion being spent across the UK, according to new research from American Express. The most popular purchases are outdoor plants, closely followed by compost and seeds. n Newly launched Painting & Decorating Merchant, Decorare Jersey is now supplying painters and decorators across the island of Jersey with the full range of decorative coatings from HMG Paints. n Holiday homes are the latest trend to arise from lockdown, suggests new research from UK’s leading trade directory Checkatrade, with 30 percent of Brits considering letting their homes out to staycationers this year. They stand to make a potential £986 million from the Brits planning to splash the cash on holidaying in the homeland this year. n For the third year running UK manufacturer, Keylite Roof Windows (Keylite) has scooped the coveted ‘Best Roofing Manufacturer’ award at the 2020 BMJ Industry Awards.


New generation of DIYers born in lockdown


Lockdown has seen the emergence of a new, younger generation of people picking up a paintbrush, screwdriver or hammer for the first time to tackle DIY projects, a new study by marketing agency Democracy has discovered. Since Covid-19 restrictions


were put in place, 56 per cent of those aged 25-34 and 49 per cent of those under 24 say they have completed home improvement tasks. One in three of these emerging


DIYers has been quick to skill up, using the internet to teach themselves the techniques they


need via online tutorials. This has meant that of this under 34 age group new to the world of DIY, the months of lockdown have left them already feeling more confident (68 per cent). The Democracy report


research found that the bedroom was the top priority, with 43 per cent carrying out improvements to it followed by the living room (34 per cent) and the kitchen (29 per cent). A quarter of people (26 per cent) have also undertaken work on their bathroom during the same period. The findings form part of the integrated agency’s ‘Getting


To The Heart Of The New Home’ report. The in-depth study identifies the impact Covid-19 has had on the homes and interiors sectors and sets out strategies for how brands and businesses can best respond to it.


It also highlights how the pandemic has changed the nation’s


finances - with just


under two thirds (31 per cent) spending less as a result of lockdown and 60 per cent managing to save more than


Bradford Garden Centre marks five years of new ownership with further changes


With the latest phase of its expansion progressing well, the team at a Bradford garden centre have announced further plans to enhance the visitor experience. In addition to providing new facilities for the 200 strong team and extending the range of gardening products and houseplants, the second storey of the 25,000 square feet extension at Tong Garden Centre will be home to a new 180 seater restaurant, The Mezzanine. With panoramic views over the Tong Lane site’s established grounds,


the new


table-service restaurant will offer a relaxed dining experience with new brunch and lunch menus and a choice of sweet and savoury sharing platters when it opens this autumn. Mark Farnsworth bought the ailing garden centre in 2015 with business partner, Tom Megginson and the pair have invested over £7million in a bid to become one of the


before. With a recession looming, two out of five (39 per cent) are choosing to bank any savings, while a fifth (20 per cent) are looking to spend money on improvements to their garden and 16 per cent intend to do the same for their home.


Vitrex and


Homelux expand into Wickes


DIY enthusiasts will now be able to find tiling and home improvement brands Vitrex and Homelux in Wickes stores across the UK.


The launch of the product ranges in Wickes


comes


alongside reports that 75 per cent of Brits are planning further improvements over the next year.


North’s leading centres. MD Mark Farnsworth outlines the improvements: “We’re excited to add a second restaurant to our destination garden centre and extend the current gardening range.


“In the main building we’re making some changes to our concessions area with Pavers seeing a significant expansion, allowing them to bring a much bigger range to Tong. “Sadly, we’ll be saying goodbye to some of our retail partners,


Warehouse and Klass. New export deal for What More UK


East Lancashire housewares manufacturer What More UK has announced it’s adding Costa Rica to its growing list of export destinations, bringing the total up to 74 countries. What More UK, owner of the market-leading


storage and


housewares brand Wham, is a truly global organisation. Less than 12 months ago it added Senegal to its list of export destinations. Now, despite the turmoil of a global health crisis, it has managed to bring another


4 DIY WEEK AUGUST 2020


country into the fold: Costa Rica, Central America. With a GPD of over $95 Billion, Costa Rica has one of the strongest economies in Latin America. On top of this, it was named the greenest country in the world in 2009. It aims to become totally carbon neutral by 2021.


What More UK’s products might be able to help Costa Rica achieve its environmental targets. They can help eliminate single use plastics and encourage recycling. What More’s ‘Upcycled’ range


is made entirely from recycled single use plastics


diverted from


landfill. With this new export


deal, What More UK reminds us that the manufacturing sector is still vitally important


to


the country. Around 20 per cent of the UK GDP comes from the manufacturing sector, in real terms that puts us in the top 10 of manufacturing countries in the world. From its state-of-the-art facility


in Altham, East Lancashire, What More UK manufactures housewares of all kinds, including storage boxes, kitchen, cookware and garden products.


including Mountain In the


next phase of our plans, we will see this space transformed and we are looking forward to sharing our plans later this year. “In the meantime, the additional space will allow for our Christmas ranges to be better spaced, with social distancing in mind, to help our customers to shop safely and with confidence during the festive period.” Tong Garden Centre occupies a 17 acre site in Tong village. It is one of Yorkshire’s biggest garden centres with 110,000 square feet of retail space and parking for up to 1,000 cars.


Homelux tile trims are designed to achieve a perfect clean edge finish for any tiling project. The comprehensive tile trim portfolio includes a range of popular colours in PVC and metal, including the Homelux premium ‘On Trend Tile Trim’ line, which includes


contemporary


Gun Metal Grey and Brushed Black colours. In


addition to tile trims,


Homelux waterproof crack isolation matting for floor tiles will also be available. The matting is designed to absorb substrate movement to prevent surface cracks in tile and stone surfaces. Meanwhile,


the


complementary Vitrex range covers a huge number of easy to use tiling tools such as tile spacers, nippers, grout spreaders, rakes and trowels, all of which provide a professional tiling finish. Shoppers will also find Vitrex’s range of compact and lightweight tile cutters, with the 400mm and 630mm manual tile cutters suitable for cutting wall and floor tiles up to 13mm thick. Vitrex and Homelux are part


of QEP, a leading manufacturer and supplier of tiling equipment, flooring, tools, hardware and accessories. Other brands in the QEP group include Kraus Flooring UK, Plasplugs and Roberts.


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