NEWS
DIY hits a high-note as B&Q officially opens new store in Rotherham
B&Q has opened the doors to its brand-new 22,000 sq. ft store at Great Eastern Retail Park, Rotherham. Customers were welcomed in by Dinnington Colliery Band who provided a festive performance as the store opened to customers for the first time.
The new store is B&Q’s first
retail park location since opening its Newark store in May 2023, and follows recent small format store openings for the DIY retailer in Brighton and Staines this year. To celebrate the official opening, the unit manager, B&Q
Online marketplaces to face same WEEE regulations as high street retailers
The Radio, Electrical and Television Retailers Association (Retra) has welcomed the announcement from Defra that waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) regulations will be extended to overseas online marketplaces. Circular economy minister Mary
Creagh announced on December 10 that: “Electrical equipment like vapes are being sold in the UK by producers who are failing to pay their fair share when recycling and reusing of dealing with old or broken items. Today we’re ending this: creating a level playing field for all producers of electronics, to ensure fairness and fund the cost of the treatment of waste electricals. As part of our ‘Plan for Change’, we are helping UK businesses compete and grow, and we continue to get more households recycling.” The WEEE directive, first
introduced in 2002 and updated in 2012, covers all items requiring batteries, solar energy, or electrical current to operate. This includes large household appliances like refrigerators and dishwashers, small household appliances, IT equipment, consumer electronics, lighting, tools, toys, and medical devices. Jeff Moody, commercial director of Retra, said: “This announcement finally creates a level playing field between high street electrical retailers and online marketplaces. Our members have always taken their WEEE obligations seriously, managing take-back schemes and covering disposal costs, while online marketplaces operated under different rules.”
4 DIY WEEK DECEMBER 2024
colleagues, and Rotherham locals enjoyed music from the local and renowned Dinnington Colliery Band, who kicked off the festivities with a lively performance. First team members of Rotherham United F.C. Women and Mayor Councillor Sheila Cowen also attended the event, officially welcoming the store as a valuable addition to the local community and retail landscape. Nicola Pickering, unit manager at the new B&Q Rotherham store, said: “We’re thrilled to open the doors to our brand-new store and welcome the Rotherham community. Whether it’s a quick DIY fix, a home improvement
project, or supplies for trade professionals, we’re here to meet our customers’ needs all under one roof.
The Mayor of Rotherham, Councillor Sheila Cowen added: “Rotherham Council has a vision for a fair and prosperous economy that provides chances for everyone to get a good job, or start and grow a business, and plan confidently for the future. I’m really pleased to be able to welcome the new B&Q store to Rotherham and the 20 jobs it creates. This is positive news for the town, and I wish the team every success in their new venture.”
DK Tools partners with Constructionarium to inspire the next generation of builders
DK Tools has announced its partnership with Constructionarium, a pioneering not-for-profit training facility based on a 19-acre site in North Norfolk. Constructionarium offers students studying built environment courses a one- of-a-kind, hands-on learning experience by simulating real-world construction challenges.
The innovative training facility allows students to step into the role of contractors, building scaled replicas (approximately 30ft in size) of iconic projects and structures,
such as London’s Gherkin, in just five days! The site is divided into four colour-coded project zones - red, green, yellow, and blue - and DK Tools has generously donated its Amtech Flexi Tubs range to
match each zone’s colour. Students at Constructionarium have the option to choose from 17 exciting projects, including replicas of renowned landmarks such as Barcelona Tower and
Canary Wharf Underground Station. Ricky Johal, Head of marketing and e-commerce for DK Tools, commented: “This is a fantastic initiative from the team at Constructionarium, enabling students to gain practical experience in managing real-world construction projects in a controlled, safety-first environment. By being briefed and tasked with objectives such as delivering projects on time and within budget, students develop valuable skills that will serve them throughout their careers. We’re thrilled to support this initiative with our Amtech Flexi Tubs range, a relatively new category for our company, and this partnership highlights the durability and versatility of our products in action.”
Leading economist Roger Martin-Fagg revealed as a key speaker at GCA conference
The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has announced that leading economist Roger Martin-Fagg will be speaking at its 58th annual conference at De Vere Wokefield Estate Reading in January.
Martin-Fagg, who specialises in making economics accessible for everyone, will be presenting to GCA members on Tuesday 28 January to help delegates
create their strategies with his expertise.
Peter Burks, GCA CEO, said:
“It’s wonderful to announce Roger as a returning speaker to our annual conference in Reading. He’s back by popular demand! He spoke at our conferences in 2014, 2018 and 2023 and it’s wonderful that he’s available to be with us once again.
“He specialises in making economics accessible for non-economists, so is an ideal contributor to the topical discussions currently being had in garden centres nationwide and is an inspiring speaker for our members’ teams to hear.”
For further information and to order tickets, please visit
www.gca.org.uk.
Blanchard’s and Bruton’s win Home Hardware’s Christmas window competitions
Blanchard’s Home Hardware (Bideford) has won Home Hardware’s Christmas Window Dressing Competition and Bruton’s Home Hardware (Nailsworth) has won Home Hardware’s Magic of Christmas Window Dressing
Competition, each receiving £100 in M&S vouchers. Malletts Home Hardware
in Truro was runner up in the Christmas Window Dressing Competition, while Staines & Brights in Tiptree received the runner up prize in the Magic of
Christmas Window competition, each receiving £50 in M&S vouchers.
The competitions support the Christmas promotion to inspire retailers to create eye-catching window displays and the results speak for themselves.
www.diyweek.net
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