This time, the bad news come from home improvement retailer B&Q. On 20th March 2019, it emerged that this DIY chain store would be reducing the number of shops it currently has in the UK. B&Q representatives confirmed that a total of 15 shops will be closing over a period of 2 years.
It appears that the decision to close some of B&Q’s locations is connected to the company’s poor financial results. After reviewing its figures in January 2019, B&Q’s parent company Kingfisher reported a significant decline in pre-tax profits, which dropped by more than 50 per cent over the past year, as well as a 3 per cent drop in sales.
B&Q is also experiencing some internal turmoil following the anticipated resignation of its current CEO, Veronique Laury. Recently, the multinational retailer confirmed that it is actively looking for a new CEO, although it did not offer any names as to who will be Laury's successor.
Also in March, Kingfisher announced the closure of other retail outlets not only in the UK, but also in France, Romania, and Germany. But although some B&Q stores will be closing across Britain, Kingfisher plans to increase the UK presence of tools and hardware retailer Screwfix, which is the group’s best-performing company. Previous plans to establish 700 Screwfix outlets in the UK have been modified to reach 800 stores.
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Independent retailer Home Bargains are to open their seventh store in the Leeds region in the UK. Located on Aberford Road in Garforth the store will bring 40 jobs to the area, offering its range of branded products at discount retailer prices.
2018 has not started in the best way for the retail brand H&M with controversy surrounding their clothing advertisements and now bad news about their performance in 2017 as shoppers move online and stores struggle to attract large numbers of customers.
Like many others, I’ve often wondered if Utopia - the ideal place - really exists. Then I discovered that it recently opened at Spurriergate in York.
