COMMENT


December 2021 www.diyweek.net


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© 2021 Datateam Business Media Ltd. DIY Week incorporates Decor Retailing, DIY Retail Leaders, DIY Superstore, Do-It-Yourself Retailing, Domestic Electrical Appliances, Excellence In Garden Retailing, Excellence In Woodcare Retailing, Excellence In Timber Retailing, Excellence In Tile Retailing, Garden Retail Leaders, Garden Retailing, Hardware Merchandiser, Hardware Trade Journal, Homecentre, Home Storage Retailing, The Ironmonger, Ironmongery & Hardware, Lighting, Martineau & Smith’s Monthly Circular, Mercantile Guardian, Superstore Management, Tools Retailing, and Wholesale Leaders. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior written permission from the publishers. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published in DIY Week. However, Datateam Business Media Ltd will not be liable for any inaccuracies. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers. DIY Week is registered at Stationers’ Hall. ISSN 0954-8823. DIY Week is printed on environmentally friendly paper; both text paper and cover stock are elementary chlorine free and sourced from paper suppliers with a well planned environmental policy. This issue of DIY Week includes some editorial photographs provided and paid for by suppliers. Printed by Buxton Press.


Founded in 1874 No 5,895 -


Hoping for a happier new year


We’ve reached the end of another challenging and difficult year. At one point in the summer it seemed like we were over the worst of the pandemic and could start the big job of rebuilding the economy and getting back to some kind of normal way of life again. But alas, as the scientists had warned, the winter has been pretty rough with Covid-19 in its various forms continuing to wreak havoc amongst the population and putting our Christmas celebrations and holidays in jeopardy once again. Hopefully we will be able to navigate our way through this tumultuous period and soon emerge ready to recover and get on with our day-to-day lives without the requirements for facemasks or social distancing and the omnipresent threat of further lockdowns. On a human level, the Covid pandemic has caused untold amounts of heartache and hardship for a great many people and these past two years will always be remembered as a pretty bleak time in our history. Thanks to being designated an essential industry quite early on in the crisis, the DIY and garden retail sector was able to adapt quickly and be ready to serve the increasing number of DIYers and gardeners who were suddenly forced to spend more time at home and therefore turned their attention to improving it. Thankfully this trend has continued, which has been a real godsend for the industry. In order to gain a true reflection of the last year and get some predictions for the next, we have once again assembled a panel of experts that represent a cross section of the industry for this issue’s review of the year feature. Their opinions make for interesting reading and I’m grateful to them for taking part. You can read what they have to say starting on page 13. It just remains for me to wish you a safe and enjoyable Christmas and best wishes for a happy, healthy, prosperous, and hopefully a more normal new year.


Neil Mead, Editorial Director In This Issue...


P4 / NEWS


The latest headlines and breaking news from across the home improvement and garden sectors


P8 / DECORATING


Sophie Hill, Marketing, Insight and Innovation at Rothley, comments on 2022’s top interior trends


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Published by P21 / HOUSEWARES & GIFTS


Christmas for 2021 started early for Eddingtons and many other homewares and gifting suppliers


P24 / AUTUMN FAIR 2021


Millions of pounds worth of business was generated at the UK’s leading home, gift and fashion trade show


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DECEMBER 2021 DIY WEEK 3


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