Steve Collinge

Wickes Group Half Year results were published this morning and it’s still tough out there, particularly in the area of big ticket purchases. More here - insightdiy.co.uk/news/wickes-pu…

GIMA has announced Tony Kersey will be joining as its new Membership Ambassador. Tony’s a familiar and respected name in the industry, having recently retired after a distinguished 38-year career as the gardening, landscaping, and DIY buyer at Homebase insightdiy.co.uk/news/tony-kers…

Travis Perkins has today announced the opening of a new branch in Whitstable, Kent. The new site, which also includes a Benchmarx branch relocating from Canterbury, demonstrates Travis Perkins’ sustained commitment to delivering for customers. More here - insightdiy.co.uk/news/travis-pe…

Amazon and Barclays have announced a new partnership to launch a co-branded credit card in the UK. The new card enables customers to earn rewards on everyday spending, which can be redeemed for gift cards on Amazon.co.uk. More here - lnkd.in/eB2gAD3d

Travis Perkins plc have announced a Q1 trading update for the 3 months to 31 March 2024, with trading described as challenging. Group revenue -3.7%, Merchanting Division -4.2% and Toolstation -0.9%. More here - insightdiy.co.uk/news/travis-pe…

According to Sky News the majority of Wilko stores will close after a purchase of the retailer fell through. In a meeting with administrators the GMB union said they were informed there is no prospect that the majority of the business will be saved - lnkd.in/emmQSKkF

‘A Digital Transformation like no other’. Read my article and interview with Ben Exall the Digital and Marketing Director of Wilko here - lnkd.in/eaQhGY3b.

Wickes have this morning reported an improvement in second quarter trading, with LFL sales growth of 3.0%. Despite a challenging consumer environment, group LFL sales for the first half were +0.7% year on year. More here - insightdiy.co.uk/news/wickes-po…

Looking forward to heading into London later today for the annual DIY Week Awards, being held this year at the Royal Horseguards Hotel. If you’re going to be there, come up and say hi, be great to meet you.

Welcome to 5 Minutes with! Our bitesize interview with short-fire questions where we talk to some of the Retail Industry’s most influential leaders. We have Paul Cannon, Director of IT, at @Homebase_uk watch here: bit.ly/5MninWith #RTS2023

Can’t wait to see the cheeky, new, Little Dobbies Garden Centres due to open in Cheltenham this Thursday. As per the existing five 'Little' branches, the Cheltenham store will carry a curated range of houseplants, plant care and home decor - insightdiy.co.uk/news/little-do…

Screwfix has announced its ambition to open up to 85 new stores across the UK, Ireland and France by the end of January 2024, creating more than 800 jobs in local communities. More here - insightdiy.co.uk/news/screwfix-…

Mail order and eCommerce business Scotts of Stow Limited, has been sold in a pre-pack administration deal, following a dramatic increase in costs and a significant decline in sales. The business has been sold for £2.7m to WoolOvers Group - linkedin.com/posts/stevecol…

Retail Media, without doubt the single biggest incremental profit opportunity for retailers over the next 5 years. I am now convinced that there will be a significant shift in investment away from Google and Socials to retailers - linkedin.com/posts/stevecol…

Wickes have published their full-year results for the 52 week period to 31 December 2022. Having achieved record sales of £1.562bn and like for like sales increase of +3.5%, there is no doubt they are taking share from B&Q. More - insightdiy.co.uk/news/wickes-re…

Fast and Frictionless, the seamless way to purchase a new kitchen. In the first of a new series of webinars, I'll be chatting to Bill McIntosh at Cabinets.com, the largest online retailer of cabinets in the US. Register here - lnkd.in/esSdMcH8

Just imagine for one minute, a display of light bulbs like this in a kitchen showroom in the UK? Looks great when it’s on and amazing when it’s off. More here - calex.eu/en/products/pr…

The GROHE X Summit launched today, with a focus on urbanization and home of the future. I was privileged to be on panel discussion alongside thought leaders including Gudy Herder, Katrin Dr. Franzen-Löhnig and LIXIL EMENA CEO Jonas Brennwald Register here lnkd.in/ek23bRX5

Looking forward to attending The Garden Press Event, a one-day boutique exhibition exclusively for the gardening press and media. Held at the Business Design Centre in London and supported by the major brands and retailers, it’s a brilliant event to kick off the 2023 Season.

On day 1 of the virtual #GROHEXSummit2023, we’ve invited experts like @elinafuturist, DIY specialist @insightDIYSteve, interior designer Carina Buhlert and more to shed light on the future of home. Free & open to all. Register now! fal.cn/3vRqk