Interiors Monthly - September 2022

120 Pages·2022·38 MB·English

SEPTEMBER 2022
discover the latest sleep
solutions from the UK’s
mmmooosssttt tttrrruuusssttteeeddd sssllleeeeeeppp bbbrrraaannnddd
Beds and bedroom TFS
Supplement Show guide
SN 1557 Telford 2022-v2.indd 3 16/08/2022 14:47

EDITOR’S COMMENT
A month to
HEAD
Feature Head size/colour to suit
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forget for some
August broke with tradition and The Flooring Show Guide
was anything but quiet, which some www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk 77
would have certainly hoped for
INTERIORS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2022
August used be a quieter month, with many consumers and INSIDE THIS ISSUE
those in the industry away on holiday. This year was very
different. We have seen evidence that the post-pandemic boom
NEWS
may finally be over. If it is, it has been a hell of a run, and sales
are still ahead on 2019, even allowing for inflation that shows 4 Sales suffer big monthly fall but up on 2019
no sign of going away any time in the medium term. 6 Maker&Son sold to investment firm
Of course, not helping those rising costs is the eye-watering
10 All change for exhibitions
increases that businesses have seen in their energy costs. And
with the UK effectively being government-less there is no sign
of companies getting any reassurance that there might be a FEATURES
plan to help them any time soon. Plus, any shoppers who didn’t 12 New products
make an interiors purchase in the past 24 months will be
18 Service
concentrating on autumn bills rather than a new sofa or carpet.
Among those who would have wished that August didn’t 20 Experiences
happen will be the directors of Made.com. Since its £200m What is the right price?
stock market flotation last year its share price has plunged by 22 Sustainability
more than 90% (it’s the worst performing IPO of 2021) and it
Pared back
has warned it may have to seek new investment. Then Gwyn
24 Retail
Burr, its senior independent non-executive director resigned.
(She’s also chair of the Skipton Building Society, the country’s Putting on a performance
fourth largest, which is without a permanent chief executive 32 LVT
until the end of the year.) She would have played a major role Love affair, biophilic
in trying to convince investors to cough up for more than the
38 Rugs
market values it at, and now that job is a lot harder.
Savage depiction
Others include Victoria’s executives, who must be sick of the
sound of the word ‘shortselling’. Effectively betting that the 41 Beds and bedroom
group’s share price will fall to pocket the difference in price Supplement including Bed Show guide
has seen more than £900m (about two-thirds) wiped off the
77 Show guide
group’s value since January. Worrying for those who actually
The Flooring Show
own the shares, it seems likely that little that can be done to
109 Preview
reverse the situation at the moment.
Still, September has many an exhibition to offer us a host of Long Point
new products, so maybe the change of month really has been 116 Review
a good thing. MIFF
Editor: Andrew Kidd
T: 01273 930 029 E: [email protected]
SEPTEMBER 2022 Furniture advertising (South): Tim Boden
M: 07976 122 150 E: [email protected]
Furniture advertising (North): Jarrod Bird
discover the latest sleep
T: 01565 631 397 E: [email protected]
solutions from the UK’s
Discover the latest sleep solutions from
mmmooosssttt tttrrruuusssttteeeddd sssllleeeeeeppp bbbrrraaannnddd Carpet, flooring advertising: Joanne Paull
the UKs most trusted sleep brand.
M: 07817 624 922 E: [email protected]
Visit: www.silentnight.co.uk Representative in India: Amarjeet Singh Gianni
T: 0091 98390 35458 E: [email protected]
Published by Interiors Media Limited
167 Hadlow Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 4LP
T: 01732 441 134
E: [email protected]
Registered in England no. 6397722
Print: Knockout Print Design by Truprint Media
Beds and bedroom TFS
Supplement Show guide © Interiors Media Limited ISSN 1756-2236
www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk 3
SN 1557 Telford 2022-v2.indd 3 16/08/2022 14:47
NEWS
20% off: furniture and
flooring see monthly fall
After a surprise record month for furniture and lighting sales January 1986, according to Office for National Statistics data.
in Great Britain in June, relative normality returned in July, Flooring sales plunged last month but were still well
while flooring saw a double-digit monthly fall. ahead of last year.
Sales of furniture and lighting dropped by 20.4% to Flooring sales in Great Britain fell by 19.75% in July
£1.226bn compared with June, reversing June’s increase. compared with June, to £199.29m. However, compared with
Compared with May, sales in England, Wales and July 2021, sales were 15.86% higher.
Scotland were 2.26% lower. Sales were 2.46% higher than June had seen a 14% rise compared with May 2022.
July 2021, 7.46% higher than July 2020 and 24.4% higher Compared with July 2019 sales were 71.2% higher.
than July 2019. July’s performance was the 119th best month of 439.
July’s performance was the lowest since July 2021, but the The ONS figures do not allow for inflation and are subject
40th best month of 439 since comparable records began in to revision.
Upholstery push
Oak Furnitureland has of its 70 branches will be
significantly boosted its reformatted to display the
upholstery offer and revised new offer.
its interest-free credit offer. The threshold for IFC is
The moves come after being lowered from £3,500 to
a ‘significant double digit’ £1,999.
growth in sofa sales and ‘Alongside our commitment
a 50% rise in searches for to maintaining outstanding
‘sofa’ on its website over value, we are investing in
the past year. new payment options, to help
Eight new models are make our products even more
being introduced and 13 accessible,’ says Alex Fisher,
ranges expanded. Some 53 Oak Furnitureland ceo. Dalby sofa from Oak Furnitureland
Help in energy crisis Inflation slows for furniture sector
Fuel-poor employees in the furnishing industry can have their Retail inflation for furniture its lowest rate in a year.
old or broken electrical appliances replaced for free. eased marginally in July, but The rate for carpet and
Industry charity The Furniture Makers’ Company is working remains more than twice the other floorcoverings dropped
with the Local Energy Advice Partnership (LEAP) and C Supplies rate it was a year ago. from 8.3% to 6.4% in July. This
to offer people in the UK furnishing industry the opportunity The rate for household compares with a figure of 8%
to replace a maximum of two old or broken appliances – fridges, furniture dropped from in July 2021.
freezers, washing machines and cookers – for free, exchanging 16.6% to 15.1% in July, ONS The decrease was driven
their old, inefficient white goods appliances for modern, data showed. This compares by carpets and rugs, which
energy-efficient machines. with 6.9% in July 2021. saw the annual rate drop
To qualify for the time-limited offer, applicants must have The rate for garden from 7% to 4.9%. In July 2021
a total annual household income of less than £31,000 or be furniture dropped from it was 7%.
receiving one or more certain benefits. 25.5% to 21.1% (-14.8% in In contrast, smooth
‘With the energy crisis deepening, swapping to energy- July 2021); lighting fell from flooring saw the rate climb
efficient appliances is one way of maximising energy usage 11.3% to 7.9% (5.2%), and from 15.2% to 16.9%. In July
and saving money. This offer from LEAP will allow hard-hit furniture and furnishings 2021 it was 12.2% and since
and struggling families or individuals the opportunity to get dropped from 16.3% to August 2021 it has never
two new, efficient appliances delivered and installed for free, 14.8% (6.7%). been lower than 13.9%
provided they meet the criteria,’ says Sue Dean, The Furniture Retail inflation for flooring (December 2021). It reached
Makers’ Company welfare officer. dropped in July, reaching 21% in May.
4 Interiors Monthly September 2022
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NEWS
Maker&Son secures sale
Upmarket upholstery and bed have seen the value in what we
retailer Maker&Son has been bought have achieved to date and are
by an investment fund. excited to work with them to write
The company, set up by Felix the next chapter for Maker&Son,’
Conran and his father Alex Willcock says Conran.
in 2018, has been sold to Inc & Co Earlier in the summer Maker&Son
for an undisclosed sum. Both will had been looking to raise funds
continue to work for the company. through the Seedrs crowdfunding
Maker&Son manufactures and platform and had attracted 2,700
sells direct to consumers in the registrations.
UK, Ireland, US, Australia, Asia and ‘The level of the pledges you
New Zealand. have made is really truly wonderful.
Rather than bricks-and-mortar Ruby sofa I feel totally in awe of the
stores it has a fleet of showvans and enthusiasm and warmth towards
a UK showroom at its West Sussex head office. our brand and what we are doing and where we are
‘The sale will enable us to continue our vision of creating heading,’ Willcock told them.
luxury sustainable furniture. We are delighted that Inc &Co Reports suggest the company had been valued at £55m.
Value of a good night’s sleep? 15p Victoria: short
selling continues
Bensons for Beds
has launched to unsettle
an advertising
investors
campaign
highlighting the
cost of a good Short selling in shares in Victoria has
night’s sleep. continued to take a toll on the flooring
The campaign, group’s share price.
on digital TV, video According to figures from S&P
on demand, social Global, more than one in eight shares
media and radio, (12%) were on loan at the time of
highlights the value- climate when families are thinking about writing, used as proxy measure for
for-money and health benefits of a rising prices of energy, fuel and food. short selling, compared with less than
mattress for 15p a night. But the right mattress is an investment 1% at the start of the year.
The figure is based on a £245 double that, on a price-per-night basis, is highly Since January the group has seen
mattress with a five-year minimum affordable. Not only is it good value for its share price fall by 69.8% at the
guarantee. money, but it brings all the health and time of writing, wiping more than
‘We understand buying a new bed mental well-being benefits that come £900m off its value as the valuation
and mattress can seem like a big with a good night’s sleep,’ says Nick dropped from £1.38bn, generating
investment – especially in the current Collard, Bensons for Beds ceo. huge profits for short-selling investors
who predicted that the share price
would fall.
Burr quits troubled Made
On 2 August alone more than one
million shares changed hands.
Made.com’s most senior non-executive commitments at this time.’ Since January the share price has
director has quit the company. Gwyn joined Made as senior dropped from 1,200 to 362p. When
The etailer, which has seen more than independent non-executive director in Geoff Wilding was appointed executive
90% of its value disappear since its £200m May 2021 and is also chair of Skipton chairman on 3 October 2012, the
stockmarket floatation last year, says Building Society, and has been cutting group’s share price was 50p.
that Gwyn Burr notified the board of her back on her non-executive roles. In the year to 2 April the group saw
intention to step down ‘with immediate Made has told shareholders that sales break the £1bn barrier for the
effect due to a need for her to give it may need to turn to them to raise first time, with an operating margin
more focus to her other professional money after a profit warning. of 10.6%.
6 Interiors Monthly September 2022
GENERATE 15 WEEKS
SALES IN 3 WEEKS…
“It’s been Fantastic!
Our Greenwood Sale delivered
a good 30% of annual bed
sales in 3 weeks…”
“…A remarkable result when you factor in
the dreadful state of the current market. One
supplier rang to ask why we were so busy when
everyone else is doing nothing! And your Event
Manager, what a lovely guy. Everyone liked him
RECRUITMENT
and we would have him back – I would employ
him tomorrow! We’ve already booked the next
If you are looking to recruit staff for your
Greenwood Sale!”
furniture or flooring stores, looking for
Paul Meehan. M.D. Time for Bed Ltd,
sales staff or reps for your manufacturing Sale, Gtr. Manchester.
outlet, then INTERIORS MONTHLY offers
a great package! “Don’t Hire a Marketing
Company Until You’ve Seen
Our online package is just £175.
Greenwood…”
Your advert will appear in our jobs section
on the website until the position is filled or Find Out More About Greenwood Sales…
you ask us to remove. Our weekly newsletter,
Learn all about the new super-effective
which is mailed every Thursday to 7000 Greenwood Digital Sales Campaign. Call me on
07771 700247 to discuss the exciting possibilities
industry professionals, also includes a list
for your next big sales event without obligation
of these latest jobs.
or, send an e mail enquiry with your contact
If you have both online and quarter page details and I’ll call you…
BOOKING 2023 SALES NOW
recruitment advert in our magazine, the
cost will only be £250! CALL BERNARD EATON
07771 700247

Costs for larger recruitment adverts are
available upon request.
Please contact Jarrod on
E: [email protected]
T: 01565 631 397
UK and Ireland’s Leading Experts in Retail Sales
Promotion since 2002
[email protected] www.greenwoodretail.com
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Polyester is the most widely used textile fibre in the world.
Polyester is alluring & smooth to the touch.
Gaia® carpet with its excellent colour fastness,
rich lustre and 100% virgin pile material will
certainly enrich your home.
And no maintenance issues whatsoever:
Gaia® carpet is bleach cleanable.
LLeecctteerrnn
DDoorraaddoo && IInndduuss
LLeecctteerrnn
TTiiggrriiss && GGaannggeess
IInndduuss,, Dorado, Tigris, Ganges… names of famous and
lleessss wweellll--kknnoowwnn rriivveerrss.. BBuutt aallll aarree tthhrreeaatteenneedd bbyy ppllaassttiicc aanndd
ootthheerr ppoolllluuttiioonn.. SSttaarrtt ccoonnttrriibbuuttiinngg ttoo ssoollvvee tthhiiss pprroobblleemm
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NEWS
Summertime in Germany:
imm makes switch
imm cologne will move to June next year, with a
special Spring Edition. The exhibition, which hasn’t
taken place since 2020, will move to 4-7 June 2023
providing ‘planning certainty’, according to organiser
Koelnmesse.
The scheduling of 2024 will be decided after next
year’s exhibition.
The show will also be cut to four days and begin
on a Sunday, rather than the previous Monday
opening day. The public days will no longer happen,
with consumers admitted by invitation only.
‘Today the imm cologne advisory board gave the
concept proposed by Koelnmesse for the imm Spring
Edition in June 2023 the green light unanimously.
Our thanks go to the advisory board and in particular
Future timings have yet to be decided
to the German industry, the retail sector and the
purchasing associations for their support. This concept international appeal and a strong communication reach
will ensure that imm cologne can take place again after like imm cologne.’
a two-year break,’ says Gerald Böse, Koelnmesse ceo. ‘The Spring Edition is synonymous with a new beginning.
‘I firmly believe in face-to-face exchanges. In my imm cologne wants to use it to motivate and to show how
view, they are immensely important for the industry’s it is experimenting with new ideas and leaving well-trodden
development, especially in challenging times. The sector paths behind. What’s more, the June event gives our partners
needs an in-person platform in Germany, an event with planning certainty,’ says Oliver Frese, Koelnmesse coo.
Orders down, profits up at ScS Sunday move
for BGNFS
ScS has given shareholders good and not ‘In recent months we’ve seen reduced
so good, but not unexpected news. in-store and online visitors, resulting in
It says that ‘positive trading, strong a reduction in order levels, driven by Next year’s Buying Groups’ National
margin, and effective cost management the widely reported falling consumer Flooring Show is to break with
during the year’ mean the furniture and confidence as a result of the cost of living tradition and abandon its mid-week
flooring chain now expects to report full- pressures and economic uncertainty. timing.
year profits for the year to 30 July to be We expect the low consumer confidence Next May’s event will take place
‘ahead of market expectations.’ will continue to adversely impact the from 7-8 May: a Sunday and Monday,
In its March update, the forecast was group in FY23,’ it warned. rather than its previous Tuesday and
for profits in line with expectations. Despite the slowdown, its order book Wednesday.
However, it warned that orders for the is £28.8m higher than 2019, at £71.7m. The move is designed to tackle
year were 3.9% lower than 2019. But this is £31.8m lower than 2021. falling visitor numbers for the
Cranmore Park, Solihull exhibition.
Visitor numbers have been falling
Interiors launch for UK Bathrooms for a number of editions – there were
none in 2020 and 2021 due to the
Bathroom etailer UK Bathrooms has Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Shetland, pandemic – and the buying groups
launched a furniture, beds, flooring and Orkney, Caithness, Sutherland, and large organising the show had discussed
lighting online brand. parts of Moray, Argyll and Renfrewshire, a Sunday opening as far back as 2015.
UK Home Living has been launched and Inverness-shire. The organisers hope to emulate the
offering ‘free shipping within the UK’, but It says shoppers will be offered two to success of The Flooring Show, which
this is restricted to what the company three-week deliveries for larger items, introduced a Sunday opening several
describes as ‘smaller items’. with two-hour delivery slots to room of years ago and has seen the Sunday
For products such as furniture, swathes choice. Unboxing, removing packaging become the busiest of the three days,
of the country are excluded including and assembly is an extra for some items. and January Furniture Show.
10 Interiors Monthly September 2022