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© 2025 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 5,932 - January 2025


Stronger together


It’s been a difficult start to the year for retail, with disappointing Christmas trading figures, continuing fallout from the Homebase collapse, and now WHSmith store closures dominating the headlines. However, there has been some good news, with CDS superstores, which owns The Range, agreeing to buy around 70 Homebase locations and B&Q set to purchase another five stores.


As we enter 2025, there are many issues affecting our industry, and it’s vital we work together to make a difference. As Will Jones from BHETA points out in his column this month, the urgent issues right now are the Government’s inheritance tax proposals for family


businesses and the unfair, and potentially dangerous, impact of the unregulated online purchase of so-called ‘small parcels’. The changes to Business Property Relief (BPR) announced in the budget will also hit family businesses hard and BHETA is urging all members to get involved and contact and lobby their local MPs. Find out more on page 6. Away from politics, it’s this spirit of cooperation and collaboration that really sets our industry apart, and one that we intend to celebrate, amongst many others, at this year’s DIY Week Awards. For this, their 14th year, we’re raising the bar even higher with a host of new features designed to make the event bigger, better, and more inclusive than ever before. The introduction of new categories ensures we honour the evolving landscape of DIY and home improvement, recognising fresh talent, emerging trends, and ground-breaking products across the industry. Entries are now open, so please head to the website at www.diyweekawards.co.uk to learn more and make sure your company is in the running. We’ll be bringing you more news about the awards next month.


In This Issue... Neil Mead, Editorial Director


P4 / NEWS


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


P10 / SPRING FAIR


Registration is live for the 75th anniversary edition of the UK’s leading Home, Gift, and Fashion trade show


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Published by P17 / PEST CONTROL


Experts are urging homeowners to wait a few more weeks as mowing now will result in long term damage


P21 / FLOORING & FLOOR CARE


Wood flooring specialist Woodpecker Flooring, picks the top five trends that are likely to be big in 2025


dktools.com www.diyweek.net JANUARY 2025 DIY WEEK 3


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