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© 2024 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 5,923 - April 2024


The finalists have been revealed


It’s that time of year when we reveal the finalists in the DIY Week Awards and once again there is an incredible array of products and great companies in the running to receive a coveted trophy. The large number of high quality entries has pleasantly surprised me this year, which made the judges’ job of narrowing them down to a shortlist more difficult than ever. As usual we held separate judging sessions for the retailer and supplier categories and the judges spent literally hours carefully going through all the entries and scoring them in order to fairly determine the finalists and ultimately the winners. I’m always impressed with how seriously and professionally they approach this task each


year, it gives me total confidence that we have deliberated each and every entry and that the winners truly deserve their place on the top step. The judges are all well respected experts who have many years of experience in the industry, so their opinions matter, which gives real credibility to the DIY Week Awards and makes them truly worth winning. I’d like to thank them once again for giving up their valuable time and making the judging such an interesting and pleasurable task. You can see the products and companies that have made this year’s shortlists on page 12 of this issue and make your own mind up which you think deserve to win. But you can only be one of the first to find out if you’re right by attending the awards presentation event in person. This takes place on Friday 17th May at the prestigious De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden, London and will be hosted once again by comedian Jimmy McGhie. It’s always a fabulous celebration event and you can get your tickets online at https://diyweekawards.co.uk/book-tickets. I look forward to seeing you there!


In This Issue... Neil Mead, Editorial Director


P4 / NEWS


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


P14 / EVENT REVIEW


Clive Daley and Karl Thomas from the Daley Hub report from this year’s International Hardware Fair in Cologne


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Published by P20 / WALL COVERINGS


The interior designers at Studio Dean have launched an original collection of luxury wallpapers called EVOLVED


P23 / MADE IN BRITAIN


When talking manufacturing, China is always going to dominate but we may now start to see more re-shoring


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