EDITOR’S COMMENT Will McGill
That’s life 10
Sometimes you put everything into something and it doesn’t work out the way you hoped. Sometimes decisions don’t go your way, despite how much time and effort you’ve put in. That’s life. But there are also plenty of things to focus on and celebrate, not least everything we’ve packed into this issue of ERT.
T
This month, we publish the inaugural ERT Report, taking the temperature of the independent electrical
retail sector and giving retailers the
opportunity to tell us what is really happening on the shop floor. Elsewhere, we catch up with Sevenoaks Sound & Vision following the opening of its new Sutton Coldfield store, we also sit down with Anker’s UK Managing Director for this issues The ERT Interview, and Steve May brings us up to speed with the latest developments in Home Entertainment. And with sustainability continuing to influence both product development and purchasing decisions, I take a closer look at the latest eco appliances, exploring how manufacturers are
here are moments in life when you don’t get what you want. Sometimes things don’t quite go to plan.
combining energy efficiency with the performance and features consumers increasingly expect. There is, then, plenty to get stuck into this
month.
And there’s also one date in my diary that I certainly intend to celebrate: October 15. That’s when the electrical retail industry comes together at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London for
And I think we need days like that. This industry isn’t always easy. Retail certainly
the ERT Awards 2026, and after everything that goes into putting the event together, I genuinely cannot wait. The Awards have always been one of my favourite days of the year, but being involved behind the scenes gives you a completely different appreciation of just how much they mean. You see the entries arrive. You read the stories
from retailers who have taken risks, invested in their businesses and adapted when things have been difficult. You hear about the people who quietly go above and beyond for their customers, colleagues and communities. And you see the innovation coming from manufacturers and suppliers who continue to push this industry forward. Then comes counting the votes, the judging
day,
the finalists and finally the moment when everyone piles into one room and we actually get to celebrate it all.
isn’t easy. There are pressures on margins, costs, footfall and consumer confidence, while the pace of change seems to get quicker every year. But October 15 isn’t really about any of that. For one day, competitors sit at neighbouring tables, old friends catch up, new connections are made and people who spend the rest of the year getting on with the job have the opportunity to be recognised for doing it exceptionally well. There will be winners. There will be people who desperately wanted to win and don’t. And, bringing us neatly back to where I started, sometimes in life you don’t get what you want.
So, whatever else might be going on, I’m choosing to focus on the things worth looking forward to. And right now, October 15 is very high on that list. The ERT Awards is a reminder of what is
great about this industry: the characters, the independents, the innovation, the friendships and the people who genuinely care about what they do. See you there.
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