bira Member magazine - February 2018

THE MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH INDEPENDENT RETAILERS ASSOCIATION ISSUE 14 | FEBRUARY 2018

STAY TRUE TO WHAT YOU DO For 30 years Pete Turner has kept things pure and simple at his menswear store Wellgosh

conference and awards Jurys Inn Hinckley Island Hotel, LE20 3JA

10 May 2018

“There are so many positive reasons to enter these awards.

It’s straightforward to enter and the ceremony takes place on the evening of the bira conference, which in itself is a very valuable and worthwhile day. The glittering ceremony is very special and it’s great to socialise with other small businesses.

Coming runner up in the ‘Retailer of the Year’ category was a testament to our whole team. Stepping back and answering the questions you may not think about on a day to day basis allows you to think of your business in a different light. I would suggest that every owner of a small business should invest time in entering.”

Sam Hale, Advance Performance, Independent Business of the Year Finalist 2017

It’s time to shine

We’re looking for inspirational business owners, employees and teams who are standing out in the retail industry. To enter one of the awards or nominate someone you know visit bira.co.uk/conference-2018.

0121 446 6688 opt. 1

membership@bira.co.uk

bira.co.uk/conference-2018

Comment

The time for me to go draws near A new year, and the search for a new CEO begins, says Alan Hawkins be posting advertisements for the position and headhunters will be contacted.

With our long-serving professional services director Robert Jarrett planning to close his final special projects file at about the same time as I depart, the association is faced simultaneously with challenges and opportunities.

As we all know, no one is indispensable and the duty of senior office holders is to plan their replacement in the most beneficial way for the company concerned. Do you have good succession planning in place in your business? It should be high on your risk register if you don’t.

Perhaps the best piece of information currently on my desk is that finally we can see our membership on an upward turn after the consolidation of our offices and the investment in our buildings in Birmingham during the past 18 months or so. Having all our people in one location is enhancing staff morale and effectiveness. Only through excellent teams can we put your interests at the front of our activities.

Talking of activities, if you have never been

to the annual bira conference, it would be fantastic to see you at Hinckley Island on 10 May (see the ad opposite). You’ll be able to ensure I am actually leaving, share some memories and possibly meet my successor, but more importantly you’ll be able to plan for the future. That’s the goal of this year’s conference. We have listened to you and know it is not the mundane you want to hear about. What we will be discussing is the direction of travel for retail and how to cope with the seismic changes that are affecting our industry.

That isn’t to the say the (apparently) mundane doesn’t have to be managed. In this issue we are providing vital information on GDPR, the new and penalty-loaded data protection rules you will be reckless to ignore. We are trying to manage our own GDPR challenges at bira HQ, but we are already familiar with computer software companies telling us they can make the changes for a small fortune, but that it would make more sense to buy their latest version for an even bigger fortune!

Cover photograph: Paul Driver

WITH SPRING AROUND the corner and those January Sales behind us, hopefully we can all start focusing on the year ahead, while perhaps enjoying some decent margins.

It’s an appropriate time to start sharing with you some of the opportunities and challenges that bira is facing in the coming 12 months. Top of the agenda - and I would say this, wouldn’t I? - is that I plan to retire in the autumn. I am prepared for a range of reactions from “About time too!” to, hopefully, more supportive comments. The process to find my replacement has started in earnest under the guidance of the board of management. Luckily, I am only an information provider to the relevant sub-committee; this position must be decided by the members.

It has been a pleasure for me to work for bira in its many forms for no less than 33 years, with the past 12 as CEO. Over the coming months I will have plenty of time to reflect on where the new CEO will find bira. I wanted you all to know the news officially as we will soon

IN THIS EDITION ISSUE 14 FEBRUARY 2018

This is your bira magazine, so share your news, views and ideas with like-minded retailers by contacting us at editorial@bira.co.uk All contributions will be gratefully received FEBRUARY 2018

news for 2 Trade bira members

Fighting rising tide of shop theft, monitoring sales of corrosives, fairs promise a buzz

fights for fair motoring to 8bira competition 10 Still along in Cowley 13 Preparing sell your shop The Competition and Markets Authority must not overlook the independent sector

How the brothers Smith are steering the Aladdin's Cave that is Smith & Low

A new bira financial planning service can set you up to exit your business effectively

29 Counterpoint

by Injected A new correspondent suggests it is time to win back the trust of modern consumers

Big 16 The Interview

Wellgosh's Pete Turner is expanding his menswear shop as it celebrates 30 years

to get 21 Time into gardening

Could you grow your sales by selling growing things? Let us plant some ideas...

Last Word 32 The Cove Gallery

How 25 seasons at Oxford Summer School helped Steve Connell sell art & crafts

1

TRADE NEWS

Conference sessions confirmed DELEGATES AT THE bira national conference and awards on 10 May in Hinckley Island, Leicestershire will have three streams of inspiring talks to choose from as well as the main presentations.

Breakout sessions entitled Grow, Innovate and Challenge, which proved so popular in 2017, are being revived so that visitors can pick and choose which topics and new ideas they want to address.

Incoming bira national president for 2018-19, Surinder Josan of All Seasons DIY in Smethwick, said: “The breakout sessions have been designed with the future in mind. Hear from the likes of ecommerce specialists Trouva and Vend, who will talk about retail tech trends and using the internet to enhance your business. Promoting yourself online and using the tools available will be covered, as well as a not-to-be-missed cyber-crime prevention session, which will ensure you feel safe using the internet.”

Energy efficiency and the latest technology to prevent retail crime will also be key subjects for examination on the day.

The breakout sessions will complement the main speakers at the conference, who include food entrepreneur Levi Roots sharing his recipe for success.

To book your place and to see the full line-up of speakers, visit bira.co.uk/ conference-2018/. For direct help about tickets, call 0121 446 6688 and ask for bira events manager Lauren Chadwick or email events@bira.co.uk.

After 12 years at bira, BAGMA’s business development manager Alasdair Straker has retired.

Promoting BAGMA across the UK, Alasdair has been an integral member of the team, with specific responsibility for membership in Scotland.

Complete retirement must wait, however, as Alasdair will continue to be seen working at BAGMA exhibitions this year.

2

bira fights card scheme fees THE CASE AGAINST increased credit and debit card fees was put by bira president Vin Vara on the main BBC-TV news bulletins on 13 January. In a piece filmed at one of his Toolshop branches, Vin highlighted that Mastercard and Visa had each increased a range of charges to retailers recently. bira has always stressed that its members generally have never passed credit card charges onto their customers, so a new ban on surcharging (introduced in January) is largely irrelevant.

Jeff Moody, commercial director at bira, said: “The EU Fee Regulation (IFR) on Interchange Fees, which was introduced by the Government in 2016, worked to cap some of the fees retailers were being charged for handling credit and debit cards (a saving to the sector of some £500m). This has been constantly eroded in the last 12 months , however,

by Mastercard and Visa introducing other fees for processing credit and debit cards.

“This is the real issue for our retail sector as retailers in the main have not imposed surcharges.

The new legislation will impact operators that have traditionally imposed surcharges, such leisure, travel and airlines etc. From a retail sector perspective, therefore, there is unlikely to be any impact from the withdrawal of the right to surcharge.

“The main issue for bira members is the creeping and insidious introduction by Mastercard and Visa of card scheme fees to recoup their losses following interchange reductions. We would welcome action by the government to influence the Payments Systems Regulator in addressing the recent surge in card scheme fees that all retailers are seeing for processing card transactions.”

The changes to interchange fees were detailed on page 25 of the October 2017 issue of bira magazine. More information is available from bira partner Global Payments or the bira membership team on 0121 446 6688.

Changing face of Christmas trade RESEARCH AND RECENT results from major Meanwhile, a last-minute surge in high street retailers has shown how online retailing and shopping in the week leading up to Christmas Black Friday discounts have reshaped Christmas was not enough to rescue December sales figures, shopping habits. bira members may wish to business advisory firm BDO LLP has revealed. compare their own experience with the findings.

Although sales in the week to Christmas Eve According to research firm Retail Economics, saw a rise in all categories, overall like-for-like high based on a survey of 2,000 households on Christmas street sales dropped -2.3% in December – the fifth Eve, 25% of shoppers suggested they successive December to record negative would not shop during Boxing Day or sales growth. Homewares sales grew by January sales because they had spent Drop in high street 2.5%, but sales of lifestyle goods rose by during Black Friday (November 23) and sales during December merely 0.3%. the following weekend, while one in five Fashion retailers finished off a said they purchased Christmas gifts miserable year by recording a sales dip Xmas shoppers who during the discounting bonanza. of -3.8% for December, which followed a bought from Amazon “It appears that Black Friday -1.1% drop in December 2016. It was the was the starting gun for a frenzy third month in a row of negative growth of promotional activity that ran for fashion sales, and the eighth month doing right up to Christmas for many Consumers of the year in which fashion sales failed some shopping online non-food retailers,” said Richard Lim, to record any growth.

Retail Economics CEO. “The pinch on households’ Non-store sales, ie online trading, grew by 21.4% personal finances is at its most intense for some during December, with a peak of +39.8% in the time and consumers are tightening their belts. Just week that ended with Christmas Eve. under half said they spent less this Christmas than Observers have pointed out that the Black last year.”

Friday- to-Cyber Monday discounting weekend According to Retail Economics, Amazon was attracts large orders, but instead of increasing the most popular resource this Christmas with overall sales, it just encourages shoppers to buy over a third (37%) of shoppers using the company. earlier at a discount where they may previously Some 67% of consumers said they did some of their have bought later in December for full price. The Christmas shopping online. discounting fever seems here to stay, however.

-2.3% 37%

67%

FEBRUARY 2018

TRADE NEWS

Shop theft is not a minor crime SHOP THEFT WILL remain high on bira’s policy agenda despite a nationwide tendency for police to downgrade the crime. The association is determined to maintain pressure on government to accept that stealing from retailers is a serious, dangerous and costly menace.

Police forces are increasingly following the government direction as laid out in the guidance notes for the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and downgrading shop theft to little more than a misdemeanour. The scandal, which has concerned bira for some time, gained wider prominence on 27 December after The Daily Telegraph ran a front-page story headlined “Police spark shoplifting boom by not probing thefts under £200”.

Concern from large retailers about the police attitude is rising, but veteran anti-shop theft campaigner Neil Mackay is furious that it has taken pressure from major firms to give the problem a higher profile.

“It makes my blood boil to think it has taken some people three years to wake up to the fact that the government has chosen to downgrade the crime of shop theft to little more than a mis-

demeanour. I have been banging on about it for what seems like an eternity now,” said the joint managing director of the family-owned engineering specialist Mackays of Cambridge.

“Recently a person involved in trying to reduce shop theft in and around Cambridge told me one local unit of a national chain of clothes shops had lost an incredible £42,000 (at cost) or £1,000 each trading day in just six weeks. The company had not bothered to waste its time reporting the crimes to the police as management viewed it as a pointless exercise.”

Neil believes criminal gangs bring in new teams from other areas once a group of thieves

has been identified by local traders because of repeated offences: “As an independent retailer, I am feeling increasingly under siege. How can we turn the tide on this tsunami of shop theft crime? It is so hugely under-reported.”

Neil is particularly aggrieved at the common use of the term shoplifting: “While media outlets of all types differentiate the crime of shop theft from other forms of theft by calling it shoplifting, it will always be regarded by the public as something minor and not to be taken so seriously.

“The crazy thing is the publicity in the press now is only adding fuel to the fire as now even more potential thieves are aware that if they restrict their crime to below £200 in each shop they have an even higher chance of getting away with each theft.”

Close attention to shop theft will be given by bira’s legal and parliamentary affairs committee, which is now being chaired by Neil’s brother and joint MD, Duncan Mackay, who is taking over from the long-serving Ian Firth.

What is your experience of shop theft? Is the problem getting worse? What can be done?

Send us your views on editorial@bira.co.uk

Shows promise a positive buzz A GENERALLY POSITIVE attitude from buyers is expected at shows in February after a promising start was noted at Top Drawer at Olympia on 14-16 January.

Spring Fair (NEC, 3-8 Feb) and Moda (NEC, 18-20 Feb) are among the major events on a busy calendar this month. bira member Elaine Graham of gift shop and cafe One Forty in Cranleigh, Surrey, spent two days at Top Drawer and felt a revived optimism among the aisles: “While it wasn’t particularly inspiring as a show, I picked up a few nice new things, and I definitely felt there was a buzz about the fair that has been absent for a few seasons. One of my best suppliers said he’d heard that from other visitors too.”

Exhibitors confirmed that buyers were seeking innovation and newness. “While some big names in furniture retailing have failed or are struggling, the independents we have seen here are very positive,” said Ian Butt, key accounts FEBRUARY 2018

manager with furniture and homewares wholesaler Coach House, which had one of the largest stands at Top Drawer. “The best-performing indies are constantly looking to upgrade their offer, so we brought 1,000 new products to this show to satisfy that need for newness. We are expecting a similar reaction at Spring Fair.”

Home furnishings supplier Bronte by Moon, which makes its scarves, throws and cushions in Yorkshire, has seen its business with small indies grow over the past 12 months. “It seems upbeat here. Last year was difficult for retailers, but there seems to be a mood of Great British defiance that they are going to make a go of it this year,” reported Julian Smith, sales manager for furnishing fabrics.

Also at Top Drawer before showing at Spring Fair was premium design-led gifts supplier Wild & Wolf, which is putting new emphasis on better serving its 100 top independent accounts.

“People are here on the front foot and there is

There was a definite buzz about Top Drawer that has been absent in recent seasons Elaine Graham, One Forty, Cranleigh, Surrey

definitely optimism and an appetite for newness, even if not many retailers managed to increase sales last year,” said sales manager James Mountfield. “There is a clear desire from good buyers to get into new products early to be ahead of the game.”

3

TRADE NEWS

DO YOU FANCY JOINING THE BIRA BOARD?

bira is looking for members to nominate themselves to join its board of management for 2018-2020. Retailers from many different sectors and all parts of the country make up the board, which guides the vital work bira does for the independent sector. If you want to offer your input to bira’s activities and policies, please contact Jill Austin on 0121 446 3722 or email jill.austin@ bira.co.uk to have the process for nominating yourself for the board explained.

Plastic bag levy to win bira's backing INDEPENDENT RETAILERS ARE expected to support the government’s desire to extend the 5p levy on plastic bags to small shops as well as major retailers, bira believes. Although no date has been set for the change, the government’s intentions were made clear in a speech

by Theresa May in January.

“The environmental lobby has attracted a positive tide of opinion and I expect the bira board will respond favourably to extending the charge,” said CEO Alan Hawkins. “It’s worth pointing out, however, that online retailers are not penalised for any plastic they include with delivered products, which is another example of unfairness in the current situation.”

Since 2012, the 5p charge on single-use plastic bags in England has contributed to a reduction of nearly 90%, with 9bn fewer bags being used, the government said. Some £66m

has been donated to good causes from money raised in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland introduced charges in 2011, 2014 and 2013 respectively and have also seen significant drops in usage.

Many independents have argued that the levy should be extended from the large retailers with 250-plus employees to all shops to lessen the impact on the environment. The National Federation of Retail Newsagents and the Association of Convenience Stores have both voiced support for the plan. l A proposed 5p levy on single-use plastic items, such as coffee cups and water bottles, could generate at least £1.75m a day for good causes, if levels of use did not change, according to the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). More than 35m plastic bottles are used every day in the UK.

Obituary Stewart Munro AS THIS MAGAZINE was going to press, we heard of the sad passing of Stewart Munro on 18 January after a long battle with cancer. He was 67. bira CEO Alan Hawkins writes: “The word stalwart is often used, but never more accurately than for Stewart, who was a true friend of bira and treated this trade association and its predecessor BHF as his extended family. How fortunate we are to have made him an honorary member, the highest recognition we can award, at our office opening last September.

“After working in the hardware and houseware industry, Stewart opened Marchmont Hardware in Edinburgh 31 years ago. He was practically a lifelong BHF committee member, as well as Scottish president and a board of management member on several occasions. He did his best to keep all the Scottish branches active and almost single-handedly organised the last Scottish conference in the

Stewart Munro proudly displays his bira honorary membership with president Vin Vara at the head office opening last September.

Oban area. What a triumph it was.

“January has been a sad month. Our sincere condolences go to Rainy Day Trust CEO Bryan Clover and his wife Patsy for the loss of their teenage daughter Evie. For those with longer memories, the passing of Michael Cato, a longtime friend of bira and committee chair, will be mourned too.”

LISTER WILDER CHARITY SUCCESS

4

Obituary Nigel Horwood NIGEL HORWOOD OF Horwood Homewares died on 9 January. He was 57. A great champion of the housewares industry, he had dedicated over 40 years of his life to Horwood Homewares, working across all areas of the business. The sales manager for Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and the Channel Islands, Nigel had been diagnosed with cancer in 2017. His funeral was held on 26 January.

Some 60-plus employees at agricultural machinery supplier Lister Wilder raised an impressive £18,318 for The Movember Foundation, making the company the 5th-largest fundraiser in the UK to support the men’s health charity.

Groundcare sales director Phill Hughes, who was the company's Movember team captain, said: “In addition to raising a fantastic amount of money for a great charity, the campaign has helped to enhance our team spirit here at Lister Wilder.”

The company also donated a Kubota G23 rideon-mower to The Rich Brothers of BBC Garden Rescue, who travelled across six counties to mow huge moustaches into fields to raise funds for the Movember movement which aids research into prostate and testicular cancer.

FEBRUARY 2018

TRADE NEWS

Act now to prevent “acid attacks�

WORKING WITH THE Home Office, bira is encouraging members to sign up to a series of voluntary commitments regarding the sale of harmful corrosive products to help reduce the incidence of horrific “acid attacks�.

In January, bira was specifically mentioned in a media release from the government about the policy, along with major retailers such as Waitrose, B&Q, Morrisons, Wickes, Co-op, Screwfix and Tesco, which have agreed to abide by the commitments on the responsible sale of corrosive substances. Alan Hawkins, bira CEO, appeared on Sky News to talk about the issue.

The Home Office is inviting retailers to sign up to the following voluntary commitments, which have bira’s support: l To agree to comply with the

Poisons Act 1972 and promote awareness to staff of what this means for the sale of products which contain levels of acid and other corrosive substances that mean they are either regulated or reportable under the Poisons Act 1972. l To agree not to sell products to under-18s that contain potentially harmful levels of acid or corrosive substances. (Products that should not be sold to under-18s are set out right). Where appropriate, this will include applying Challenge 21/25 policies when asking for age identification, supported by till alerts, staff supervision and the inclusion of the products in agerestricted sales training. l To agree equivalent age restriction measures are applied to products sold online.

The Home Office’s form of words states:

lW e as a retailer agree not to sell products to under-18s that contain the following substances (or substances subject to the concentration level where they become of concern). lP roducts that contain: sulphuric acid, such as drain cleaners/unblockers; sodium hydroxide (12% and over), such as drain cleaners/ unblockers and paint strippers; hydrochloric acid (10% and over), such as brick and patio cleaners, and cleaning products including limescale removers; ammonium hydroxide (10% and over), and sodium hypochlorite (10% and over), such as cleaning products.

The government has put in place an action plan based on four key areas: support for victims and survivors; effective law enforcement; ensuring legislation is applied effectively; and working with retailers to restrict access to acids and other harmful products.

For more details or questions on in-store and online sales, email CorrosivesVoluntary Commitments@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.

26 Wednesday, September 20, 2017

northsomersettimes.co.uk

northsomersettimes.co.uk

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

JOHN BROWN HARDWARE’S 60TH CELEBRATION! Well done to John and all the team and John Browns, a great achievement.

All the best from Paul and the Bristol Team here.

Original Nailsea High Street store celebrates 60 years in business Advertisement feature

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Well done all at John Brown's, all the best for the future and the many years to come, Carol.

For any Music shop inquiries please call 01275 855021

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Congratulations

from all here and all the best for the future.

High Street, Nailsea • Tel: 01275 854560 / 856627

/ 810780

ixty years ago in September 1957 John Brown opened a small ironmongery shop in the village of Nailsea − a shop which has, over those years, not only grown and expanded alongside the town’s own development, but has undoubtedly woven its way into the very heart of Nailsea.

John Brown Hardware is now a big ‘little’ store where 60 years on, John is still serving his customers with the same personal service and attention as he gave in 1957.

And now John and his staff at the newlyrefurbished John Brown Hardware Store, at 90 High Street, will be celebrating the milestone anniversary on Saturday, September 30 by inviting loyal customers to join them for coffee and cake, a tombola, face-painting and a raffle offering ÂŁ100 as first prize.

And if you were around in 1957 and remember being a customer of John’s then please call in and make yourself known to him.

842265

Web: www.aaronspets.co.uk | Email: shop@aaronspets.co.uk

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Homewares Bathrooms & Plumbing

Gardens Building & Decorating

Electricals & Tools

Kitchens & Furniture

01275 853368

www.johnbrownhardware.co.uk

has been the mainstay of the business and the staff have a people-oriented ethos with a good knowledge of all the products. “And now our celebration is to thank our many loyal and lovely customers, so do come and join us on September 30 for coffee and cake.�

For a full list of products log onto www.johnbrownhardware.co.uk or call 01275 853368.

Congratulations from

Cleeve Nursery, Cleeve, Bristol. BS49 4PW 01934 832134 www.cleevenursery.co.uk

SAMUEL BIRD TV your Local Panasonic Dealer

TV, Freeview Recorders, DVD & Audio Sales, Installations & Repairs Digital Aerial, Freesat & Sky Installations & Repairs LCD Wall Mount Installations Free quotes & advice 118 High Street, Nailsea BS48 1AH

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■John Brown’s in 1965. Picture: FRANCIS FRITH

A huge well done from all at loaders!

63 High Street,Yatton, Somerset BS49 4EQ

So how did it all

John originally worked as a carpenter with his father Charles, a builder based in Tickenham, but after suffering health issues took his doctor’s advice and gave up the heavy work of the building trade.

Thus, in 1957 and with very little capital, John and his wife Alice, decided to open an ironmongers shop in the first of a rank of shops built by John’s father.

John said: “We eventually moved into the flat above the shop and traded alongside many of the original shops in Nailsea, including Websters, Cokers, Audrey Baker, Parsons Bakery, Hewitts Grocers, Kay Sampson, Stan Hill, Marsh Butchers and Jack Cutler Cycles.

The business was built on service and he added: “Service means delivery and if we said we would deliver it, we did, even when it meant battling through the elements of winter snowdrifts.� “Delivering five gallons of paraffin to residents at the top of Towerhouse Lane was often fraught with difficulties but the deliveries were always met.�

Another aspect of service for John was to provide a wide selection of stock and thus a phrase very often heard in Nailsea was ‘If John Brown hasn’t got it in he will get it for you – and if he can’t get it then no-one can’.

So as Nailsea began to grow and develop and more and more people were discovering this obliging little family business, John’s shop had to expand and over the next decade the shop doubled in size.

And so it became a stalwart of Nailsea, with locals often affectionately describing it as an Aladdin’s cave, where one could discover an amazing array of stock!

Nowadays, alongside stocking the usual DIY equipment, painting and decorating materials, Calor Gas and tools, there is so much more including kitchen appliances, bathrooms, gardening products, electrical goods, homeware, cookware and gifts.

There are also services offered such as shear-sharpening, key-cutting, and watch-battery fitting, along with a free local delivery service.

Over the past 60 years John Brown has faced strong competition from

large corporate DIY stores, the internet and supermarkets, and has not only survived but gained a large, loyal customer base and a sound reputation for customer care and a superb range of products at competitive prices.

The welcoming and experienced staff will do all they can to help you and to offer impartial advice.

John’s son-in-law Joe Fordham now manages the shop, although John, at the grand old age of 91, is still active behind the scenes and regularly appears behind the counter giving customers his personal attention.

Joe said: “Business has grown with the community. As Nailsea, the town with a village heart, has developed and grown, so has our shop. “It’s a shop with a big heart and where people always matter. Service

Tel: 01275 853216 / 791110

Aarons Pets Ltd begin?

Congratulations

from Martin and all at Aaron’s pets on this huge milestone.

Nailsea - Tel: 01275 85203 | Portishead - Tel: 01275

John Brown Hardware in 2017

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Tel: 01275 872592 | E-mail: info@lesliedark.co.uk MASSIVE WELL DONE TO EVERYONE AT THE SHOP. ALL THE BEST FROM DAVID AND THE TEAM. â– Nailsea High Street in 1911.

An amazing feat of achievement.

Well done from Neil and all from Mendip Carpets.

SALE NOW ON

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Windows, doors and Conservatories

â– Nailsea High Street in 1965.

Picture: FRANCIS FRITH

Windows, doors and Conservatories

01275795323 Congratulations

John Brown on your 60th anniversary from Rich, family andeveryone at Atlas Windows

Neil Mackay collects an iPad and bottle of bubbly from Toolbank’s Matt Rounce

Winning ways with window displays THE WINDOW DRESSING skills of bira members have been recognised by wins in competitions across the country.

Mackays of Cambridge is hoping to secure a hat trick of victories this year after coming top in the prestigious Toolbank “Real Deals� contest for the second year running in 2017.

Simon Bicknell, marketing director for Toolbank, said: “Mackays created the best shop window displays among 2,000 retailers and merchants throughout UK & Ireland as judged by the marketing director of Real Deals for You and industry experts.�

Neil Mackay, joint managing director of the engineering specialist, added: “We are thrilled.

The competition attracts fierce competition from FEBRUARY 2018

all around the nation, so to win a second time is totally amazing. We already have advanced plans in place to try and secure a third win in 2018.�

Meanwhile, in Harrogate, women’s accessories shop Bijouled was seen by a reported 1m viewers on Channel 5 in late December. The business won a Christmas window competition in the town and was featured in a documentary called Harrogate: A Great Yorkshire Christmas.

Owner Georgina Collins, who has run the business for almost 10 years, worked with designer Claire Jordan for four months on the display, whose theme was “Past, Present and Future�. Of the increased consumer interest in Bijouled and Harrogate, Georgina said: “We’ve had such a deluge of people. It’s been fabulous.�

The new year has seen hardware shop John Brown in Nailsea, Bristol entering its seventh decade of trading.

The family-owned concern is planning to keep nimble in its buying this year, using information provided by its EPOS system. “We are cautiously optimistic about 2018 as long as we keep an eye on our sales and costs. We all know that the big boys are suffering, but we can be much more flexible than them in our buying,� said Joe Thomas, who is married to Maggie, daughter of John Brown, who started the business in 1957. Last year the store was remodelled as part of its 6oth anniversary activities and was extensively featured in the local press. “Given the tricky economic climate, we thought, why not make the store even more attractive than it was? The refurbishment has helped us maintain our sales and has made life easier for the staff,� says Joe. Aged 92 years, John Brown drops in for a visit every day.

5

27

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TRADE NEWS

More seating would attract the grey pound OLDER PEOPLE’S CHARITY Anchor is urging retailers to provide more seating in shops for older customers. Its Standing Up 4 Sitting Down (SU4SD) campaign is concerned with inaccessible high streets, helping reduce older people’s loneliness, and improving their health and wellbeing.

According to Anchor, which polled 1,000 people in November, some 1.7m older people (23% of those aged 70+) say they feel shut out from the high street. Some 60% say they are concerned by the lack of seating in shopping areas that would allow them to rest. But a third (33%) say they would feel shame asking for a seat in a public place.

A report by the Centre for Future Studies, commissioned by Anchor, claims that retailers could suffer up to £4.5bn annual losses by 2030 if they fail to attract the grey pound.

Jane Ashcroft CBE, CEO of Anchor, says: “Going shopping is something most of us take for granted and yet many thousands of older people feel excluded from our high streets. We must value older people - everyone should have the chance to live life to the fullest, regardless of age.”

The report warns that, as baby boomers reach older age and the strength of the grey pound rockets, high streets must dramatically overhaul themselves into age-friendly integrated community environments.

Dr Frank Shaw, foresight director at the Centre for Future Studies, says: “Baby boomers are an economic force to be reckoned with. As they enter older age, their refusal to retire quietly is an opportunity to reinvigorate the high street, transforming it into

1.7m people aged 70+ feel shut out of high streets

a diverse, prosperous and age-friendly environment. The alternative, £4.5bn annual losses and the death of the high street, will be devastating not just for older people but for everyone.”

Since the launch of SU4SD in 2016, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, and more than 200 independent stores have pledged to increase or maintain the number of seats in their stores.

Anchor has designed a “Seating Calculator” that offers guidance on the minimum number of seats a town or city should have across its main shopping areas to cater for older shoppers. Visit su4sd.org.uk to see how your town is performing. Sign up to campaign on the site and apply for free window stickers.

PATS Sandown hits its 10th edition THE 10TH PATS Sandown pet industry show in Surrey on 20-21 March will see more than 140 brands and companies showcasing new products to buyers, including pet retailers and garden centre owners.

Ever-present exhibitors since the first show in 2009 include Antos, Barking Heads, Beaphar, Bern Pet Foods, Burns, Collarways, Earthbound, Fish 4 Dogs, Fold Hill Foods, Gor Pets, Hemmo, Hertford Shelving, Hills, Inspired Pet Nutrition, Intelligent Retail, James Wellbeloved, Johnson’s Veterinary Products, Kennelpak, pbwnews, Pedigree Wholesale, Pet Gazette, Petlife, PetSafe, Pooch & Mutt, Royal Canin, The Bramton Company and Vitalin.

FEBRUARY 2018

Inspired Pet Nutrition, under the Wagg brand, was the first company to book a stand with PATS in 2009. Trade sales director Ben Anderson said: ‘We have enjoyed every show. At IPN we believe in the concept of a trade show – how else can you fully display your entire range of products to your customers under one roof?

"As our brands and ranges expand, we will continue to utilise the PATS event to showcase these to our customer base.”

A full list of exhibitors is on patshow.co.uk, where buyers can also register for free entry to the event, which will be held at Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. bira's pet industry division, PPRA, will be present on stand R6. Do stop by.

Live advice for indie health shop owners INDEPENDENT HEALTH STORE retailers will be able to network and talk over the latest best business practice ideas with three leading experts at the Natural & Organic Products Europe (NPE) show in London on 22 April.

The National Association of Health Stores (NAHS) and bira are strengthening their recent partnership through Shop Talk, a new annual Meet the Experts lunch, which will take place at 1pm on the show’s opening day.

Topics will include: digital influence or how simple digital actions can have a significant impact on bricks-and-mortar retailers; changes in the future of payments; and the problem of retail crime.

“This new initiative offers an ideal way to keep in touch with other health store retailers and experts who understand the challenges involved in running a successful independent store.

It’s a great way to network and find out what other retailers are doing,” explained Carol Dunning, NPE’s event director.

NAHS chairman Gary Trickett said: “The NAHS is delighted to be working with bira and NPE as part of our ongoing three-year plan designed to increase standards, education, profile, proliferation and communication for independent retailers.”

Sarah Arnesen from bira added: “The introduction of the Shop Talk sessions will offer independent retailers an opportunity to discuss key industry matters with experts in an informal and educational setting. Our team is looking forward to offering advice and information on bira’s many services.”

Places are strictly limited. To reserve yours, contact Avril McCracken at the NAHS on 01875 341408 or email nahsoffice@gmail.com. Natural & Organic Products Europe returns to London ExCeL on 22-23 April. To register for a free trade ticket, see naturalproducts.co.uk.

7

BIRA POLICY

Seeking fair competition bira is fighting for independents’ rights against big retailers and online sellers, says Fiona Cuthbertson ASK ANY INDEPENDENT retailer about his or her major concerns and the unfair advantages apparently enjoyed by large retailers and especially online-based sellers will be high on the list.

As part of its ongoing strategy to speak up for the thousands of small- and medium-sized business owners who contribute so much to the economy of the UK, bira is in direct contact with The Competition and Markets Authority, the government body tasked with ensuring markets work in the interests of consumers.

In the latest exchange, the CMA is asking for feedback on its draft annual plan for 2018/2019, which outlines the areas of strategic importance that the authority will focus on, as well as the tools and functions it will look to use to achieve its objectives.

The new proposed approach consists of four key policy areas: lp rotecting vulnerable customers; l e nsuring markets can be trusted; lo nline and digital markets; l s upporting economic growth.

Implementation will occur through a suite of functions, including investigations into individual mergers, specific markets or businesses that might be in breach of European or UK law. bira believes some of the areas on which the CMA is seeking guidance are of importance to independent retailers as they raise issues around fairness in online market places and how to ensure a fair and level playing field. bira’s position on the consultation will be

two-fold. Firstly, it will lobby to ensure that the CMA recognises the need to protect retailers against unfair competition from large companies and online sellers that can exploit loopholes for an extra advantage. bira will then look to ensure that the wholesaler and supplier markets are protected against consolidation, which would inevitably lead to price increases.

On the first issue, bira will argue to the CMA that as independent retailers are affected by a number of the authority’s strategic aims, it is imperative that it considers the needs of smaller businesses as a priority.

Hopefully the regulatory body will be sympathetic to this, especially as its own consultation document recognises that it has traditionally focused on larger firms and major markets, and that SMEs need to be considered more forcefully where competition law is concerned. bira understands the CMA will not intervene where competition regulations work effectively, and that it cannot influence many aspects of government policy that hurt retailers, such as the business rates revaluation or increased parking charges.

The strategy does state, however, that that disruptive technologies and businesses should not gain an unfair advantage and bira will be looking to emphasise that the CMA can still

secure fairness by thinking about ways it can ensure an even playing field exists between smaller businesses and online retailers.

Further to this, independent retailers have a unique ability to address the requirements of vulnerable consumers. The CMA draft plan specifically refers to people who have limited access to the internet and more generally to those who have to spend higher percentages of income when markets are not working well.

For these people and others, independent retailers are often more appropriate suppliers than are large supermarkets or online traders, and it is essential that independent shops are recognised as part of the CMA’s solution on this issue.

The CMA strategy seeks to support economic growth and productivity and bira will argue that independent retailers have an important role in providing this.

On the second issue regarding the supplier side, independent retailers are very familiar with the recent controversy surrounding the merger of Tesco and the wholesaler Booker. We know that it was only after an in-depth investigation that the CMA formally approved the merger. The CMA found that Tesco and Booker did not compete with one another and investigations showed that most shops use more than one wholesaler and frequently switch suppliers; a third of independents switch once a month.

There is still concern within the industry, however, that Tesco will be able to have unfair insight to the pricing strategies used by independent retailers that use Booker as a wholesaler, even if just for part of their supplies. bira will be making a representation to the consultation that there needs to be strict regulations on how information is shared. bira hopes the CMA will take this on board.

In conclusion, bira intends to be active in helping our independent retailers get the deal they deserve. We want retailers with concerns to get in touch, so we can present the CMA with evidence from the front line. This will be critical in helping draw the CMA’s attention to any potentially damaging repercussions regarding its future strategy on ensuring markets work in the interests of consumers.

bira will lobby the CMA to ensure it recognises the need to protect members against unfair competition

Retailers are concerned that Tesco’s acquisition of the wholesaler Booker gives it insight into the buying habits of independent grocers

Fiona Cuthbertson is a public affairs advisor to bira.

8

FEBRUARY 2018

Increasing digital influence

conference and awards Jurys Inn Hinckley Island Hotel, LE20 3JA

10 May 2018

Online market places

Break out Sessions

SEO & content marketing Footfall trends

Cyber security

Energy efficiency

Advice and inspiration at your fingertips From retail trends and consumer behaviour, to the digital mix and online platforms, tailor the bira conference to suit your needs through breakout sessions that you choose.

Book today to secure your seat 0121 446 6688 opt. 1

events@bira.co.uk

bira.co.uk/conference-2018

Still motoring along Cowley has been a centre for British car making for more than 100 years and Smith & Low’s links with the huge local factory go back more than 70 years.

10

WITH A LAUGH, Mark Smith admits that his family business’ 70th anniversary last year passed by without much celebration. “The fact that we are still going strong is celebration enough,” he explains from the Aladdin’s Cave that is Smith & Low. Occupying most of three adjacent properties in a residential street with the romanticallysounding name of Hollow Way, this crammed store with its 30,000-plus lines covers a huge range of categories from TV aerials to locks to domestic appliance spares, but its underlying strength in car batteries and cycle parts points to its long links with the Cowley car factory that is the major employer for miles around.

Automotive pioneer William Morris established a car factory in the district in 1914. Today, around 3,500 people work at what these days is called Plant Oxford. Now part of BMW, it manufactures around 4,500 Minis every week and its army of employees, many of them on cycles, provides a very useful flow of passing trade in this residential area of east Oxford.

“This is a working-class area and we have always had a good local following, but having the factory just about a mile away has been so impor-

tant to our story,” says Mark, who runs Smith & Low with his younger brother Keith.

The business was set up in 1947 by their grandfather, Les Smith, and Bill Low, who he’d met when they worked together at Pressed Steel Company. Founded in 1926, Pressed Steel occupied part of the the current Plant Oxford site, making car bodies.

Working out of a small yard, the partners originally dealt in army surplus products before graduating to larger premises in Between Towns Road, where they built a reputation for radio equipment and repairs. They were also one of Oxford’s first independent sellers of car batteries, a specialism that Smith & Low retains to this day.

Buoyed by the trade from the factory employees, their next move was to a small unit on Hollow Way. Finally, in the late 1960s, they moved down the street to the current corner position, which offered more space and, crucially, car parking to the rear.

When Les and Bill retired, the business was run and expanded by their sons, Mick Smith and Brian Low. Since around the turn of the millennium, the hands on the tiller are Mark, who joined the business aged 16, some 35 years ago, FEBRUARY 2018

BUSINESS PROFILE

Mark Smith, far left, with brother Keith

and Keith, who has a mere 25 years’ experience at the family firm.

Long service is a feature at Smith & Low. Tim Perring joined in 1997, while manager Rich Sandalls has been with the firm since 2002. Josh Broome is the new generation, having arrived in 2013. The five-man team follow a classic successful formula - serving the customer across the counter with their expert knowledge – but they do not ignore online.

“We have about 1,500 items up on our website, which we set up about 15 years ago,” says Mark. “That is only a tiny selection of what we do, and we don’t send things out – it’s all on a click-and-collect basis. The internet has been the biggest change in the industry over the past few decades and while obviously it is competition for us, a web presence enables people to find us and it does bring in new customers. Working with a website designer, I am developing an upgrade that will go live later this year.”

About four years ago, the business agreed to having a virtual tour of the shop being put up on Google Maps. It show the business in all its crammed and crowded splendour.

Another obvious benefit of online is that FEBRUARY 2018

stock levels in the shop can be lower than they used to be and special ordering is much easier.

“People call us an Aladdin’s Cave because of the massive variety of lines we carry, but if we haven’t got something, we will always try to find it. That helps with things like domestic appliance supplies – we can get any one of thousands of spares here the next day.,” Mark explains.

“Just the other day one of our regulars came in looking for cigarette bins to go outside a building.

That is not something we keep, but I was able to find him what he wanted and have it delivered the next day. Part of our success comes from listening to what people want and diversifying.”

Although “everyone does a bit of everything here”, Mark’s areas of buying include batteries (for everything from torches to mobility scooters), cycle parts, tools and TV aerials, while Keith looks after plumbing supplies, lightbulbs and electrical. Buying groups, including bira direct, and major suppliers like Stax and Exide, are praised for their fast and supportive service to the indpendent sector.

While local residents and Cowley’s workers are important customers, Mark notes that the shop serves a lot of property maintence teams

SMITH & LOW 107-111 Hollow Way, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2NE Established: 1947 bira member since: 2006 Staff: 5 f/t, including the two owners Opening hours: M-F 9-5.30. Sat 9-5.

Opens on some Bank Holiday Mondays Size: 3,067sq ft. Selling area: 1,076sq ft.

Main brands include: Exide, Draper, Silverline, Oxford Products, Yale, Lyvia, Primaflow, Bell Lamps, Rentokil smithandlow.com

11

Photography: Ben Roberts

Our rates bill has doubled since 2005, but our sales haven’t!

It would be good if the government could support the independents

these days; “Oxford, obviously, has a huge student population and there are a lot of rented properties, which are looked after by a lot of maintenance guys. We have many things they need and what we don’t stock we can get.”

While all categories are important to the overall sales total, Mark reveals that homewares has been becoming more important in recent years: “We were never an out-and-out hardware shop, but along with DIY, it’s a big area for us now.

On the other hand, we don’t sell many electrical appliances these days because the margins are not great and returns are a problem.”

Looking forward in 2018, Mark predicts that Smith & Low simply will motor on as before.

Happily, its premises are freehold, so the company is not working for a landlord.

“I expect this year to be steady. Like everyone, we feel the pressure of increased overheads.

For example, our rates bill went up last year by £1,000 to almost £16,000. In fact, the rates bill has doubled since 2005 – but our sales haven’t! It would be good if the government could support the independents and give us an even playing field with the internet big boys.”

Through bira direct we personally save over £2000 annually.

Finding suppliers terms, discounts and their exclusive offers is both instantaneous and straightforward.

The online supplier directory is indispensable to our buying.

Even if you have your buying sewn up, I strongly advise you check your top 10 suppliers’ terms against the terms bira direct have negotiated.

Surinder Josan All Seasons DIY Member since 1995

Contact us

Not using bira direct?

0121 446 6688 biradirect.co.uk info@biradirect.co.uk twitter: @biradirect

bira direct is your free to use buying service as part of your bira membership. On average users save over £1,518 per year when buying stock for resale.

Find out more here biradirect.co.uk/bira-direct/why-bira-direct/

NEW BUSINESS SERVICE

How to prepare to sell your business Handing your business on to your family might be in your plans, but if instead you are looking to sell it when the time is right, early planning is essential to ensure the best result.

RUNNING A BUSINESS is an all-consuming task for many bira members. Handling the dayto-day decisions, looking after staff, making time for family – it’s a tough balance to strike.

All that can mean there are critical planning aspects of the business lifecycle that are not considered, either through a lack of time or lack of knowledge.

Nowhere is this more important than when it comes to planning for life after your business.

That’s where bira and our professional partners can really help.

We’ve pulled together a panel of experts to explain the lifecycle of your business and provide tips and practical advice to keep your business in the right shape, eventually allowing you to sell.

Wren Sterling, Rodliffe Accounting, Evolution CBS and Druces LLP are experts in their respective fields and specialise in helping independent retailers make the right decisions for their business wherever they are in their lifecycle, without getting in the way of the dayto-day activities. Their advice is geared around making sure your business is in the best possible position for an exit, when that comes.

Rewards at the end of it all Naturally, there comes a time when you might want to sell your business, but knowing where to start with all the aspects of selling can be tricky.

Common questions include: lH ow do you value a business? lW hat does “good” look like when selling a business? lH ow do you find a buyer? lW hat happens if your partner wants to buy you out or you want to buy a partner out? lH ow far in advance should you start planning ahead of a sale?

FEBRUARY 2018

bira gets many enquiries from members looking for advice, so we’ve brought our panel of experts to provide the answers.

This quick example of what you need to be thinking of if you’re five, three and one years out from selling illustrates the food for thought we want to offer:

5

years

l Accurate income forecasting

l Wealth planning for you and the

business

l Appropriate insurance for the

business and key people

l A current business valuation and

target business valuation

3

years

l Succession planning including

shareholder protection

l Competitor analysis and future-

proofing to protect and enhance valuation

l Understanding what a business

needs to look like to be saleable

1

year

l Health check, including up-to-date

accounts

l A detailed sales pipeline

l Staffing (are your employees

going to stay after the sale etc?)

l Draft contracts

l Potential earnout period for you

and other directors

How we’re going to help Throughout 2018, our partners will be delivering a series of webinars to bira members, with informative blogs available online and in our magazine. A dedicated email address is in place for your enquiries and our partners will follow up with members directly to establish their needs.

We’re also going to create a registered interest list for members looking to sell and acquire businesses. Where a match can be created, we will try and facilitate a sale between members.

Exclusive rates for bira members Every business is unique, but our panel of experts has many years of experience, particularly in the small business world, of preparing businesses for sale and achieving anticipated sale values.

With Wren Sterling’s nationwide team of financial advisers on hand to support members, once a sale has been agreed, an expert can ensure you’re not exposed to unnecessary taxation as well as advising on the most suitable investments.

As every business, industry and stage of growth is different, the type of service required, and the amount of time will vary greatly. However, the first meeting is always free of charge and there is no obligation to proceed afterwards. bira members are entitled to a 10% discount on all business protection and accountancy fees, with 15% available on business sale fees.

See bira.co.uk/services/financial-planning/

13

DON’T GET CAUGHT OUT

WITH HIDDEN CHARGES FOR YOUR

CARD PROCESSING BIRA AND GLOBAL PAYMENTS HAVE BUILT A TRUSTED WORKING RELATIONSHIP OVER 17 YEARS AND AS PART OF THIS RELATIONSHIP ONE THING YOU CAN BE SURE OF IS THAT GLOBAL PAYMENTS PROVIDE TRANSPARENT PRICING.

NO HIDDEN FEES

Everything you will have to pay is clearly presented on your service schedule and Global Payments will answer all of your questions about your fees, so there are no nasty surprises when your bill arrives each month.

As well as being clear on pricing you’ll also get access to other membership benefits should you switch to Global Payments including:

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS No separate authorisation fees

Preferential rates

No setup fee (normally £150)

Access to a cashback facility

Next day crediting* with cleared funds if you bank with HSBC plc

Terminal rental fees waived for the first 3 months if you’re new to Global Payments

LOOKING TO SWITCH? Give Global Payments a call on 0800 731 8921** quoting BIRA

*Maximum limit applies, call 0121 446 6688 opt.1 for more information. **Lines are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday except Bank Holidays Global Payments is HSBC’s preferred supplier for card processing in the UK. Global Payments is a trading name of GPUK LLP. GPUK LLP is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009 (504290) for the provision of payment services and under the Consumer Credit Act (714439) for the undertaking of terminal rental agreements.

GPUK LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England number OC337146. Registered Office: 51 De Montfort Street, Leicester, LE1 7BB. The members are Global Payments U.K. Limited and Global Payments U.K. 2 Limited. Service of any documents relating to the business will be effective if served at the Registered Office.

Issued by Global Payments, 51 De Montfort Street, Leicester, LE1 7BB. GP588

LEGISLATION

GDPR deadline is near ACCORDING TO ANDREW Hartshorn from legal firm Shakespeare Martineau, for many businesses it may be too late to be fully compliant by the time the GDPR comes into force, but they can still take strides towards compliance following these practical tips.

clear and plain language. This is most relevant for marketing databases where, for email marketing, you either need consent or must have sold similar goods and services previously to the individual.

The governmental watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has been clamping down on unsolicited emails and will continue to do so under the new regime.

Don’t think the IOC is only monitoring large concerns. Under the current regime it recently issued fines of £70,000 for deliberately sending unsolicited emails and one of £13,000 for unintentionally sending out marketing emails.

Under the new regime, expect fines to be larger.

Tidy up your marketing database The law around consent is changing. Consents from customers to receive emails from you will have to be positively given rather than relying on a pre-ticked box. If you want to rely on consent after 25 May, then you need to ensure that the consents have been given in a way that is GDPR-compliant.

Consents need a positive act. Requests for consent need to be clearly distinguished, intelligible, using

Understand where you send personal data The GDPR, like the current Data Protection Act (DPA), requires personal data to be treated with care and only used in appropriate ways.

Businesses cannot pass personal data onto third parties when they like. They must ensure that they are justified in passing the data on to third parties and ensure that the contracts with these third parties protect businesses.

By 25 May companies must be compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or risk a heavy fine.

How ready are you?

Stronger

Review your security arrangements The GDPR requires businesses to have appropriate security to ensure that personal data is not lost or inappropriately accessed. Check both your IT and physical security policies to make sure that data is locked away securely. Make sure that staff understand their responsibilities here.

Get your privacy statements right You must provide individuals with a detailed and prescribed fair collection notice when you first collect their data. This is an easy thing to get right and doing this will mean that people understand how you are using their data, but you need a thorough understanding of the data you process.

Treat data with care Ultimately, the GDPR is about treating people and their personal information fairly and with due recognition of their reasonable expectations of privacy. If you only collect the data you need, use it when you must and get rid of it when you can, then you are half way to compliance. See more information on GDPR at shma.co.uk.

every day

Big benefits for your business

£1300 on average saved with fully inclusive legal advice £516 average saving on card processing charges 30% cheaper tariffs than standard business banking up to 20% off energy renewal prices 50% off training services for ePOS software

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To start using any of these services contact the membership team or visit the website 0121 446 6688 opt. 1 membership@bira.co.uk bira.co.uk

1.Standard charge out rate of £135 per hour and assumes an average of half hour per call including research and liaison. bira legal one2one subject to additional costs. 2.Non-member cost per annum £2,021, member cost £1,655. Saving assumes credit card turnover of £225,000 per annum and includes £150 set up fee, figures are consistent with a typical bira member profile. 3. Non-member cost per annum £1,394, member cost £639. Saving assumes total turnover of £250,000 per annum based on a typical bira member profile. 4. Energy supply renewal price is the initial price offered by your incumbent supplier prior to the renewal date. Offered by Spiral Utilities.

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FEBRUARY 2018

08/01/2018 11:34:43

15

THE BIG INTERVIEW

Stay true to One of the UK’s select group of “premier league” menswear independents, Wellgosh in Leicester reaches its 30th anniversary this summer. Pete Turner is celebrating by expanding the store once again.

16

FEBRUARY 2018

THE BIG INTERVIEW

what you do THEY DO SAY nothing is new in fashion. One of the best-selling brands in Wellgosh is Levi’s Vintage Clothing, an expensive range in which the American jean giant reworks pieces from its own huge archive. Pete Turner finds the situation amusing as he started his menswear retailing career selling genuine old Levi’s and other used clothing 30 years ago.

It was in 1987 that Leicester-born Pete converted his personal passion for clothing into a business. Assisted by his then girlfriend and now wife Marie, he began selling from a stall in the Students’ Union of Leicester Polytechnic before graduating to a small shop in Silver Arcade, which is very close to his current location in the city centre.

“At the time, fashion people like me were wearing long overcoats, dinner jackets, cravats, painted ties and old American clothes,” Pete recalls. “Marie and I used to go to rummage sales and rag yards to sift through piles of things.

FEBRUARY 2018

Then we started buying bales of old Levi’s 501s from the States. Opening them up to see what you’d got was like treasure hunting.”

His business training came from helping his father Francis, who sold childrenswear on the markets in and around Leicester. By the early 1970s, when he was about 10 years old, Pete was a regular helper on the market stalls. While the fashion world is full of fluff and self-importance, Pete has always kept his feet on the ground. He still refers to his first products as “second-hand clothing” instead of the modern and slightly pretentious term “vintage”.

The American roots of the business helped name the new venture. Wellgosh was vaguely inspired by the US dungarees brand Osh Kosh B’Gosh: “Wellgosh is memorable and isn’t too literal about what we do. No other menswear shop has a similar name, so it’s served us well.”

When the landlord changed the retail focus of Silver Arcade, Pete relocated to nearby Mal-

colm Arcade and began augmenting the old stock with new brands that shared a similar philosophy or look. His early brands included Stüssy, a cool skater-focused name from California, and Vans, makers of the classic skater sneaker. An early British supplier was The Duffer of St George, which revived all manner of streetwear and cult menswear looks from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

“Our new brands were retro-inspired and cemented our reputation for being streetwearled. We have never been a retailer of suits,” explains Pete.

A giant leap forward for Wellgosh came in 2001 when it relocated to its current premises at 34 High Street. One of Leicester’s main shopping streets, it marks the boundary of Highcross, the city’s main shopping centre, so the footfall is strong. In 2009 Pete took on the adjacent unit at No 32, knocked through the party wall to create the store as it is today. 

17

THE BIG INTERVIEW

We stick with what we believe in.

Every thing we buy has been picked for a reason Sitting in his cramped third-floor office above his impressive retail space, Pete explains the next step in his inspiring story. Having done a deal with his long-term landlord, he has acquired the lease on the neighbouring unit at No 30 and will be knocking through another wall to make the existing store about 50% larger.

“The discussions have been going on since last autumn,” says Pete. “We really need more space to let the collections breathe. In No 34 we trade from two levels, but every retailer knows how hard it is to get customers up to the first floor. We tend to have our more expensive, premium brands upstairs and we know they will do better on the ground floor.

“We have a reputation for our sneakers, so we will devote the new area almost exclusively to footwear. We are dealing with the same landlord, so we know each other well and we were his preferred tenant. We should be trading in the new space by April.”

The Wellgosh approach is to have clean, unfussy merchandising. There is no boring lineup of designated areas for each brand, but rather a well-edited selection of premium ranges. In Pete’s words, he wants the store to be “shoppable” and the products to speak for themselves.

Although it sells some specific women’s footwear and Pete has attempted to sell women’s clothing in the past, the Wellgosh success story is built firmly on menswear.

“We have found that it is important to concentrate on what we do well. Women are much less-brand loyal than men. We are still here after 30 years because we have passion – I certainly still have it – and for our team we recruit guys who are into what we sell. Our success has come through hard work and a bit of luck.”

In the independent menswear sector, brand name and product are king. A love of clothes got Pete into the business in the first place and he is still involved heavily in the buying. Responsibilities are shared on footwear with Christophe Eldridge, who has been with the company for 17 years, and on clothing with Dan Greengrass, who has racked up about 15 years’ service. Maintaining the family tradition, Pete’s wife Marie, who is a primary-school teacher, still occasionally works on the admin side, their 27-year-old son Joe helps Pete manage the business, and 25-year-old daughter Grace also works in the back offices.

18

The Wellgosh offer is summed up by Pete as “premium contemporary clothing, footwear and accessories”. The current roster numbers round 100 brands, including some, like Stüssy, Levi’s, and US workwear brand Carhartt, that have been stocked from the early days. Big names include Adidas, Nike, Barbour and Clarks Originals, which are augmented by less familiar, more “insider” brands such as Albam (from the UK), Cav Empt (Japanese), Norse Projects (Danish) and Our Legacy (Swedish).

“We have a reputation as an edgy store, so we are always on the lookout for a couple of new brands a season,” says Pete. “Our customers trust us, so they believe in what we offer them. We are one of the top dozen or so menswear independents in the country, so from that standpoint we can help make a new brand’s reputation. But we don’t chop and change just for the sake of it. If anything, we possibly hang on to brands longer than some other stores might. Partly this is due to loyalty and partly because any brand can go off the boil for a while. We believe in sticking with what we believe in; everything in the store has been picked by us for a reason.”

It needs to be stressed that with huge and widely distributed brands like Adidas, Nike and Vans, Wellgosh picks from the best and most exclusive lines they have to offer, not the everyday basics that every stockist has. The price spread reflects the premium bias of the store. T-shirts run from £35 to about £110 for a cool Japanese brand. Denim jeans start at around £90 and go to £170 for some from Levi’s Vintage Clothing or Japanese brand Edwin. Winter parkas start at £150 and rise to £1,600 for one from the Canadian brand Arc’teryx Veilance, which is renowned for its use of advanced technical fabrics. Sneakers retail at between £80 and £200plus for Yeezys, Adidas’ collaboration with rapper Kanye West.

To attain product exclusivity, for winter 2017 Wellgosh collaborated with US-French brand Double Goose to create its own take on a leather jacket that retailed at £750. “We had our own colour, lining, packaging and swing ticket,” explains Pete. “Our 30th anniversary is an ideal time to do some more collaborations with our suppliers, but you cannot underestimate how much time they take to bring together. And sometimes the minimum orders are prohibitive.”

Brand exclusivity is keenly protected by

WELLGOSH 32-34 High Street, Leicester LE1 5YN Founded: 1988 Size of store: 1,500sq ft across two floors Staff: 15 full-timers, 5 part-timers Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9.30am-6pm Sat 9.30am-6.30pm Sun 11am-5pm Main brands include: Adidas, Nike, Vans, Stussy, Norse Projects, Carhartt, Patagonia, The North Face, Our Legacy, Nanamica.

Annual sales: £3m bira member since: 2012  wellgosh.com  @wellgosh @wellgosh  facebook.com/Wellgosh

FEBRUARY 2018



FEBRUARY 2018

benefits sales in-store too. We have a Magento online platform and use a Lightspeed EPOS system from Canada. Thanks to a recent upgrade we are just about fully integrated between the store and the site. The online presence the site gives us has certainly attracted better brands to us.”

The business is active on social media, with Instagram being particularly effective in spreading the word, but hard-sell messages are avoided.

The male consumers who appreciate Wellgosh’s brands, who range from 16 to 50-plus in age, don’t need much persuading; they just want to know what new product has arrived.

Having celebrated his 56th birthday in late January, Pete has considerable experience to draw on as he plans the company’s future. He notes how many menswear independents have disappeared over the years or, in the case of several substantial businesses like Flannels and Cruise, have been acquired by JD Sport or Sports

Direct. As one of the country’s top-tier premium menswear retailers, he has a good relationship with similar store owners from as far apart as the south coast and Scotland: “About five years ago, Adidas started taking 10 or 12 of us out on trips to preview the collections and we get on well, swapping notes and talking about the issues we face.”

Pete joined bira about five years ago as he liked the way the association highlighted the problems facing independents and the practical help it offers, either directly or through its service partners. Looking forward to 2018, with work on the store expansion already under way, he is yet another bira member who is looking forward with reasonable confidence.

“Wellgosh is on a bit of a roll. We have put together a nice portfolio of good brands, and we have a good online presence that in turn promotes the store. There will be plenty to celebrate for our 30th anniversary.”

19

Photography: Paul Driver

menswear independents like Wellgosh, who expect suppliers not to swamp their region with other stockists. While there are relatively few stores trading at the premium level nationwide, the onset of online retailing in the past decade has changed the marketplace. While it still has a sizable geographical reach to attract customers to the store, its website has global reach and now accounts for 60% of its £3m sales.

“We have been selling online since 2002 as it seemed silly to ignore such an exciting and interesting new sales channel,” Pete explains. “In the early days, it was largely looked after by Justin Liu, who is still with us as our internet developer.

We do virtually everything in-house and we are now on our fifth website update. About half of our 20 staff are involved in the online side.

“It is not easy to make online work and it can swallow money very easily, but it has brought us steady growth and record sales, and it clearly

NEW BUSINESS PROSPECTS

Get into gardening weed killers, plus pest and disease control, along with traditional gardening accessories, such as garden tools and propagation products like seed trays and cell inserts.”

David Cutler, owner of 109-yearold Cutler’s Hardware in Wollaton, Nottingham knows the benefits of diversifying into gardening products: “Although we are primarily a hardware shop, gardening products have been a major part of our offering for the last 25 years and spring is the key time for us.

“Selling plants themselves is an essential line that shows your customers you are serious about gardening. They are good for so many reasons, but especially as they are eye-catching and attractive. Having a good display is crucial. Use your shop window to display gardening products. Have healthy plants and compost on trollies and flatbed trollies outside your shop to draw customers in.

“We don’t deal with electrical gardening machinery like mowers as we don’t think we can compete on price and also they take up a lot of room. But compost and seeds are lines that you should think about.

“We buy through bira direct and stock all the major brands that you would expect. There are cheaper brands, of course, but we stay clear of these. Among others, we go with the likes of Scotts, Bayer and Godwins compost, which we have delivered three or four times a year.”

Another fan of retailing gardening products is Alan Totham from Home & Hobby DIY in Snodland, Kent. He explains: “About 15 years ago we ventured into plants - vegetables mainly, with some border flowers - after a local keen gardener offered to grow them for us in the quantities we wanted. He has

* Figures from the UK DIY and Gardening Market Report 2017-2022

IF THE BRITS are a nation of shopkeepers, then we are also a nation of gardeners. Spending on gardening in the UK will increase by 11.7% between 2017 and 2022, according to a recent report*.

Our ageing population, the rising trend for growing our own vegetables (especially among younger customers) and more people creating outdoor entertainment and living spaces are all cited as reasons why gardening is on the up.

Now is an excellent time for retailers to think about getting into gardening to make the most of May’s spring boom, where keen gardeners and even not-so-keen gardeners start buying their summer bedding plants in an attempt to brighten up their gardens.

Even in February, consumers are starting to plan and prep their gardens for the growing season ahead, planting seeds, and prepping their soil and lawns.

Terry Murphy, key accounts manager with Stax, which supplies garden-related products through the bira direct buying group, said: “Gardening is a growth area - excuse the pun - and the type of local customers independent stores attract are ideal for smaller purchases of gardening sundries.

“In my opinion, bira members need to offer only a tight and concise range of products from brand leaders to make the category more than worthwhile. It’s a really good area to get into at the right time of year - the key selling times are April, May and early June.

“With the pricing agreement bira has with Stax, members can be assured that they can compete on more than acceptable margins.

Key product areas include plant feeds and fertilisers, lawn care,

been supplying us ever since. This can be sold as gifts. We know of is something I would recommend retailers that grow their own to others to explore to start with, plants from seed too, which for a rather than dealing with the bigger bit of effort have an excellent marnurseries.” gin and can make use of any spare Steve Akers, director of space you might have.” buying at bira direct, Gardening secsaid: “In addition to tor brands available what you might call through bira direct traditional gardeninclude Ambassaing, there has been dor, Bayer, Bonninga trend for more tons, Doff, Draper fashionable plants Tools, Durstons, like succulents. I read Franchi Seeds, Hozethat cacti are going to be lock, Neudorff, Red the popular plants for 2018.

Gorilla, The Scotts Miracle You don’t need to be a hardware- Gro Company, STV, SupaGarden, type retailer to make the most of Toolstream, Town & Country, this opportunity. Gift and lifestyle Vitax, Wilkinson Sword, and Wolfretailers might think about having garten. A full list is in the bira memthese sorts of plants in addition to bership directory under gardening Allotment+Leisure_Ferramol_Finalsan_Pyrol_Lawn_87,5x128_ 2018 (GB).qx a range of stylish plant pots, which products.

Inspired ture by na Use plant protection products safely.

Always read the label and product information before use.

An eye-catching display of bedding plants, plant food, compost and the like might produce a rich crop of additional sales for green-fingered retailers

Available from Stax Trade Centres using your bira account.

www.neudorff.co.uk www.neudorff-trade.co.uk

Allotment & Leisure Gardener · 2-2018 · Finalsan, Ferramol, Spruzit, CleanLawn FEBRUARY 2018

21

SECURITY

Secure yourself against shop theft Stealing from shops is on the increase, yet police say they do not have the resources to deal with the epidemic. It’s time to look after your own interests, with bira insurance’s help HIGH ON BIRA’S agenda this year is shop theft.

We are determined not only to have police and government take this crime more seriously, but also to make sure our members are taking the right steps to protect their businesses from evermore brazen felons.

Prominent members like Mackays of Cambridge are leading bira’s fight to re-criminalise shop theft, especially as many police forces will not investigate any retail theft below £200 (read our news story on page 3). Prevention is better than cure, of course, so we’ve enlisted bira insurance to provide their top tips for making shops more secure.

Hiding items out of sight A thief will use an item such as a bag, pram or loose clothing to conceal a product. It is common

for a smaller item to be hidden (or swapped over) in the packaging of another item which is then legitimately paid for. Security tags can be an effective line of defence against this kind of crime but beware that metal-lined bags can be used by thieves to circumnavigate an exit alarm system.

Tip: Offenders will target and re-visit shops that have blind spots in them. Make sure there are no areas hidden from sight of the register, cameras, mirrors or the shop window.

Distracting staff Many thefts occur when a staff member leaves the shop floor or becomes distracted by a customer. Be wary of a request for something that is kept “out the back”, or of a group of people working together so one can distract staff with a query while the other(s) carry out the theft.

Tip: A group of thieves eventually will become known. Cooperate with other local shops and the police to share information on anyone working or caught in your area.

Don’t forget that unlike many other retail insurance policies, bira insurance offers full theft cover without evidence of forcible or violent entry.

This is exclusive to bira members.

Blatant theft Walk-out techniques involve simply picking up an item and casually leaving the shop. This works under the premise that, if not arousing suspicions, no alarm will be raised. Other thieves will grab and dash out hoping to get a good enough head start on any attempt to chase.

Tip 1: Where security staff aren’t an option, try using dummy displays or empty boxes around the entrances. This discourages walk-out theft as villains need to come further into the store to steal.

Tip 2: Walk-out theft can be difficult to prove, especially if the thief already has bought an item – he or she can always claim they ‘accidentally’ forgot to pay. Again, local information sharing will help you identify offenders.

Exclusive to bira members is the “Theft of stock in the open” enhancement, which covers a blatant theft where someone can just walk by and take goods. Find out more about this and the other policies available to bira members by emailing info@birainsurance.co.uk or calling 0330 123 5939. Please have your membership number handy. bira insurance is a trading name of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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FEBRUARY 2018

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Call: 0161 786 0113

email: sales@brand-essentials.co.uk

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Call: 0800 035 6421 Visit: www.staxtradecentres.co.uk Scotts Company (UK) Ltd working in partnership with BIRA and Stax

BIRA PROMOTION

Don’t take any risky chances with security As more banks close on the high street, retailers are holding larger sums of cash for longer. Burg-Wächter has a range of safe options to offer security you can trust, all at preferential rates for bira members.

Securing cash within your business Whether their business has a high turnover of cash, or a few important documents to safeguard, most retailers will need a safe of some description.

While it can be tempting to go for the cheapest model available, these tend to be little more than glorified cash boxes that fail to meet the needs of a retailer or their insurer.

Choosing the right model When trying to identify the most appropriate safe for your business, the first questions to ask are, what is going to be put in the safe, why and how much is it worth? Safes come in a range of sizes and with a variety of locking mechanisms, ranging from simple keys to electronic keypads

FEBRUARY 2018

and biometric finger scanners. There are several ratings available, which are broadly split into cash/ security insurance values, while many safes also provide fire protection. Most Burg-Wächter safes offer fire resistance and the range includes models that are independently tested and certified.

Ensure correct installation It’s worth remembering that the safe must be properly installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Not only does this provide peace of mind, but it means that insurers will recognise the ratings in the event of a claim.

Safes that aren’t anchored in place are easily taken off-site by thieves, so they can take their time to force entry.

The BurgWächter Office 101 E safe

Always the safe choice Burg-Wächter is Europe’s largest safe manufacturer, offering a wide range of independently-tested and certified safes. Models include Grade S2 (EN 14450) and above, which are recognised by UK insurance companies. BurgWächter UK can supply safes to bira members at preferential prices and offers advice on selecting the right safe. An installation service is available.

For more information, contact Lisa Cooper lisacooper@sterlinglocks.com 01274 395333 Ext: 223

25

PRODUCT NEWS

11 PIECE NEW SPANNER SETS *SPECIAL EDITION* SETS AVAILABLE IN GREEN AND ORANGE SIZES: 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19mm Stock No: 66092

Salter steams to perfection The superb Salter DUOsteam uses innovative steaming technology to cook vegetables, meat and fish to perfection in the microwave, thereby retaining important vitamins and minerals in the food.

The dishwasher-safe multipurpose steamer reduces the time to make nutritious and delicious meals.

Compatible with 18cm and 20cm

Product news February saucepans for steaming on the hob, the DUOsteam delivers healthy and hassle-free meals effortlessly.

0161 627 9673 / sales@upgs.com saltercookshop.com

Affordable tools from Bossman Paint brushes, rollers and trays, sanding blocks, wallpaper scrapers, tapes, superglues, utility knives, screwdriver sets, ratchet sets, pliers, tape measures, spirit levels, gloves, dust masks, assorted wall plugs, padlocks, torches, cleaning cloths, puncture repair kits, picture hanging kits, phone and audio accessories, and much more are among the vast range of quality affordable products being assembled by Supreme Imports, in association with Brand Essentials.

Stock No: 66093

0161 786 0113 / sales@brand-essentials.co.uk supreme-imports.co.uk

Retractable clothes lines from Beldray

Strength in Quality

26

BMM_FEBRUARY18.indd 1

Available in either 12m or 26m lengths, the Beldray Retractable Clothes Line is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. The versatile washing line retracts when not in use, making the compact design ideal for small gardens or where floor space is limited. The adjustable options include one line giving 12m of hanging space or two equating to 26m (shown right). Once the flexible pivoting wall bracket is fitted, the line can be pulled out and hooked safely to a suitable spot. The very durable lines are suitable for windy weather.

0333 577 9820 customersupport@beldray.com beldray.com

05/01/2018 09:03

FEBRUARY 2018

Would bira members like your products?

TO DISCUSS APPEARING ON THESE PAGES, CONTACT SIMONE ADAMS ON 0121 446 6688 EXT 259 OR EMAIL SIMONE.ADAMS@BIRA.CO.UK

XL toasties by Salter Deep Fill Sandwich Maker

Servings for one with Russell Hobbs Miniatures

Fantastically full toasties can be made with the Deep Fill Sandwich Toaster from Salter. The XL plates allow delicious toasties to be created using even the largest slices of bread. A cool-touch handle allows them to be safely checked during cooking to ensure a golden, crunchy toastie every time. Nonstick coated plates permit food to be released easily and make cleaning simple, with no need to scrub.

Easy to use, the toaster has an automatic temperature control. Thanks to the 900 W power, two toasties can be made in just four minutes.

Made from pressed aluminium, the Russell Hobbs Miniature collection is ideal for individual servings and portions. The non-stick coating means it is quick and convenient to clean, with no soaking or scrubbing necessary; it’s all safe in the dishwasher. With features like a steel and silicone-coated handle and heat-resistant paint, they work on all hobs except induction hobs.

0161 934 2268 / sales@upgs.com saltercookshop.com

0161 934 2240 sales@upgs.com homewares.russellhobbs.com

Polynesia Bamboo: chic & practical, bright & stylish Hot and cold drinks can be enjoyed in the Polynesia range from Portobello Mugs, which features a set of cups, travel mug, jug and two serving trays, all made from eco-friendly bamboo. Stylish, practical, chic and environmentally-friendly, the range, featuring a bright and contemporary palm design, can be cleaned in the dishwasher. The Sippy Mug, with a silicon sleeve for extra grip, is great for taking to work, while the Large Tray and Handle Tray adds a touch of style to a meal, a barbecue, or simply for carrying the 4 Cup Set. 01619 342 268 customerservice@ portobellomugs.com portobellomugs.com

Coating innovation from Salter Megastone

From oven to table with Villeroy & Boch

Born from the need for functional, durable cookware, Megastone from Salter is a hard and long-lasting innovative coating. Five times stronger than standard non-stick cookware, it can remain scratch-free even when used with metal utensils. The nonstick coating will not fade nor peel and is dishwasher-safe.

Perfect for serving straight from the oven, the tableware range from Villeroy & Boch includes deep and shallow baking dishes, in round, square and rectangular options of various sizes.

In high-quality non-scratch and easy-clean glaze, the items are safe to use in the freezer to -30° and in the oven to 260°. Everything is dishwasher- and microwave-safe. Retail prices range from £15.90 to £39.90.

0161 627 9673 / sales@upgs.com saltercookshop.com

020 8871 0011 / villeroy-boch.co.uk Pauline.Hinkley@villeroy-boch.co.uk

Body-mapping by Snickers

Kilrock brings back Dabitoff

This new jacket from Snickers benefits from a body-mapping design that delivers an effective balance of insulation where it matters and ventilation when it’s needed. Warm, light and flexible, the jacket’s quickdrying stretchable micro-fleece fabric AIS (Advanced Insulation System) material has high-performance functionality that makes it ideal as a warm first-layer garment or lighter second-layer protection.

The innovative quick-drying fabric will keep the wearer dry and fresh.

The powerful stain remover Dabitoff is back, having been reformulated, redesigned and relaunched by Kilrock. For accidental wine spillages or pet accidents, the foaming enzyme Kilrock Dabitoff Carpet & Upholstery Spray attacks stains and breaks them down within a minute. A tribute to the original Dabitoff, Kilrock Dabitoff Roll-on Stain Remover lifts stubborn stains, such as grass, blood and red wine, from most fabrics. Available in shelf-ready packaging, biodegradable Kilrock Dabitoff Carpet & Upholstery Wipes are the simplest

01484 854788 info@snickersworkwear.co.uk snickersworkwear.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2018

way to quickly clean up spots and splashes on most fabrics. Kilrock Dabitoff Handy Wipes are the perfect travel companion for life’s messier moments. The products retail for between £1.99 and £3.99.

01494 793000 /joe@ kilrock co.uk kilrock.co.uk

27

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COUNTERPOINT/INJECTED

New thinking is needed now How can independents win back the trust of consumers, who too often presume everything is going to be cheaper online than shopping locally, asks Injected, a seasoned hardware retailer in the south-east

In the past I have made returning items to my business as difficult as possible.

I never considered this might put people off

Have your say Would you like to share your views and experiences with the bira community? We welcome contributions like Injected’s. You can write under your own name or under a pseudonym.

You can contribute regularly or occasionally. If you are interested, please email editorial@bira.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2018

A FELLOW BIRA member recounted to me the other day that he’d spotted a browsing customer taking a photograph of a barcode on an item of clothing she had just tried on.

“May I help you, madam?” he asked politely.

“No,” came her response, “I’m just taking a picture of the one that fits so I can go home and buy it online!” I think he was too flabbergasted to remonstrate with her any further, and let her go without too much more being said.

It’s a situation we’ve probably all had – especially clothing retailers where sizing is so important – but it’s clearly not a sustainable one. In this case, the shop owner knows that the item in question wasn’t even cheaper online, which is especially troubling.

Discussing the incident, we assumed that one of three reasons must be to blame: lS he didn’t fancy carrying the item home; l I f she had to return it later, maybe online is less embarrassing and so easier; lS he believes online will always be cheaper than a shop, especially an independent.

(Let’s rule out that perhaps she just hates independent retailers!).

If the three options cover her reasoning, maybe it’s time to address them seriously. On point 1, the idea of a home delivery service for local customers doesn’t seem impossible. After all, motor factors manage to deliver the smallest parts to local garages by van very quickly. The cost of a van and driver might be an issue, but an Uber-style relationship between retailers and a self-employed car owner would be enough.

If retailers shared the service and split the cost I’m sure it wouldn’t be prohibitive, and would soon cost less than what online retailers pay Hermes or whoever for a national delivery service. As more towns and cities become Parkand-Ride, it becomes even more important. Carrying bags of shopping onto a crowded bus must be hell-on-earth for tired shoppers.

Item 2 is troubling because I think it is accurate. In the past I have made returning items to my business as difficult as possible because I stupidly expected this to discourage people from bringing things back and causing me extra effort. Of course, it worked, but I had not even considered that it might put people off coming into my shop in the first place! So I’ve now put in a dedicated returns area, in a space out

of earshot of other customers, where the return can be dealt with effectively, politely and quickly.

We also have started to accept items not even bought in our own shop for exchange, as long as the returned item is unused, has a receipt and is complementary to our stocked range. We then sell the returned item, and the overall cost is almost zero. What a powerful reason to use the high street, and a great way to win raving fans, the best form of free (or nearly free) advertising!

Point 3 is more difficult, as I suspect this is a very widely-held view. Online has been cheaper in the past, but times are changing. Never Knowingly Undersold has worked for John Lewis, but I hate chasing the price lower and lower, especially against an unseen online foe, so high-street independents must find another angle to re-establish ourselves as the value champions we really are.

Looking back to the days when society was more local generally, the high street worked because of a level of trust, built through personal interaction between seller and buyer. Those days are never coming back, but we do have its modern equivalent, social media. Maybe, just maybe, it’s possible to build up a similar level of trust with local consumers through clever use of social media? Creating sufficient content to accomplish this goal would require a lot of work, but I wonder if it’s possible for groups of similar shops – coordinated through bira and its subdivisions – to share between them interesting and relevant content to their own followers, none of whom would know that customers of other shops are seeing the same material miles away.

This content doesn’t even have to be about special offers or promotions, any more than the banter in butchers’ shops 100 years ago was only about meat. My best-performing Tweets are jokes, quizzes and amusing photographs.

It’s all about creating that feeling of trust with one’s online readers and making them want to come to see us. It’s not regardless of price, but it’s related to the customers being sufficiently confident about the personal relationship not to begrudge small price differences here and there.

Perhaps bira can add this to its long to-do list and investigate whether cooperative social media for members can be done. It would make a lot of sense, and give non-members another reason to join the best trade association in retail.

29

ENERGY

A bright start in 2018 Need to upgrade the lighting in your store? The Premium Light Pro project, run by the Energy Savings Trust, could be your ideal partner in making the right decision IN THE CURRENT economic climate, every independent retailer needs to lower his or her overheads. A high-quality LED lighting system can significantly reduce energy bills and maintenance costs, while in some cases paying for itself within a year. And it almost certainly will look better than your old lighting and illuminate your premises more effectively.

Many large retailers already have made the jump to LED, but there is no reason the independent sector should miss out. Funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme, in 2018 the Premium Light Pro project (run in the UK by the Energy Saving Trust)

is holding workshops aimed at SMEs looking to upgrade to more energy-efficient lighting.

upgrading could play a major role in lowering UK energy demand.

What savings are possible?

Approximately 70% of the UK’s energy demand for lighting comes from the commercial sector (ie not residential or street lighting). On average, 25% of an organisation’s electricity costs come from lighting. Halogen bulbs and fluorescent tubes are still widespread in many stores. The greater the scale of upgrade from these to LED options, the better the savings. A business that upgraded 50 halogen bulbs to LED equivalents could save over 9,000 kWh per year, which equates to around £1,350 in energy bills.

Even a small upgrade can make a difference.

A T8 fluorescent tube that might use around 60W can be replaced by an LED equivalent using around 25W. A business with the lights on for 12 hours a day could save 600 kWh a year just from upgrading four tubes. With around 290,000 retail outlets in the UK, the combined effect of

Turn customers’ heads, lower overheads If you’re ready to make the switch, join one of the workshops, where topics will include: lA n introduction to LED lighting and controls, and the savings possible lU nderstanding technical jargon and manufacturer data sheets lD esign: the right light in the right place and how best to use daylight lP rocurement, quality, cost, and performance claims lP roject funding information The Energy Saving Trust will be taking part in the 2018 bira conference at Jury’s Inn Hotel, Hinckley Island, Leics on 10 May. For full details, see bira.co.uk/event/biraconference-awards-2018/programme.

See also premiumlightpro.org.uk.

Set your sales alight!

For over 40 years Big K has supplied the best quality charcoal, briquettes, disposable BBQs, kiln dried hardwood logs and fuel accessories to hardware, garden and leisure retailers. Our reputation for quality and reliability is guaranteed to set your sales alight!

Contact our sales team for further information on the Big K range of products.

Offer only available when invoiced via bira direct.

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30

FEBRUARY 2018

BIRA NOTICES

Meet your membership team The membership magazine of the British Independent Retailers Association Published 10 times a year by bira publishing Editor Eric Musgrave 07702 628848 eric@ericmusgrave.co.uk Design Alan Bingle 07949 024737 alan@forty6design.com PA, senior communications & PR officer Kate Godber 0121 446 3730 kate.godber@bira.co.uk Multimedia sales executive Simone Adams 0121 446 6688 Ext 259 simone.adams@bira.co.uk All advertising and editorial enquiries editorial@bira.co.uk Printed by Buxton Press

bira, 225 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7UB Tel 0121 446 6688 Fax 0121 446 5215 www.bira.co.uk bira national president 2016-18 Vin Vara, Tool Shop, London

THE FIELD-BASED MEMBERSHIP team is here to support all members and help them make the most of belonging to bira. The five-strong group makes visits across the UK, welcoming new joiners and calling in on long-standing members to check how things are going, and to offer advice and ideas. Meet the team.

JULIE HOLDEN

Finance director John Collins Commercial director Jeff Moody Membership & marketing director Bob Jarrett

bira membership magazine incorporates bira alert, Hardware Today, Cookshop, Housewares & Tabletop and Pet Product Focus. If you would like to reproduce anything from bira member magazine, please contact the editorial team for permission.

While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the material we publish, bira publishing cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers or contributors. Unless specifically stated, goods or services mentioned are not formally endorsed by bira. Views of the contributors are not necessarily those of bira.

All rights reserved. © 2018

FEBRUARY 2018

“This year I’m going to be setting up drop-in clinics as part of my activity for members in my area to give you the opportunity to get the advice and support you need, at times to suit you. I’ll be in touch when I’m due to be in your area, so keep an eye out for when and where you can find me. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in 2018.”

“As national membership and key accounts manager, I travel across the UK to suplorna.lewis@bira.co.uk / 07814 767925 port and develop our group partnerships and many of our larger independJANINE REDFORD ent retailers. There is always something excitScotland & Northern ing going on and it is very encouraging to be Ireland exploring new opportunities that will help us to grow our membership network. In addition “I am a former retailer, but I to my field-based responsibilities – I am usumust admit I hadn’t heard ally to be found floating around somewhere – I about bira. I was completely blown away by the manage the membership team, which range of services and support on offer. I includes the four regional memberwould have loved the support of bira Don’t forget! ship managers (RMMs) featured in my previous life. I’m the newest We have a telephone here, the telephone-based supteam member and I’m super-excitteam on 0121 446 port and the subscriptions team. ed to start my visits. I look forward 6688 (option 1) or you If there is anything you’d like to to meeting as many members as I can email queries to discuss about getting the most out can, to see how you are all doing membership@bira. of bira membership, I’d be delighted and to spread the bira message. co.uk. to hear from you.” janine.redford@bira.co.uk / julie.holden@bira.co.uk / 07823 416865

JO ARTHUR

Midlands & East Anglia

CEO Alan Hawkins

LORNA LEWIS

North of England

07870 970856

GARY MITCHELL

South of England

“I love visiting our members in my territory area. As a former retailer, I fully understand the pressures you have and your time constraints, so I will always be accommodating to you and your business. Whether you want the services talked through in more detail or just want a chat about business in general, please do get in touch.”

“It is a great joy to deal face to face with independent retailers and see how rewarding membership and our services are to our diverse base of members. Our strength in numbers and it really shows as I make my visits. I love helping independent retailers to tap into genuine savings and pointing them in the right direction for all kinds of advice.”

joanne.arthur@bira.co.uk / 07572 790337

gary.mitchell@bira.co.uk / 07814 767910

We welcome our newest bira members Blendtec, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire; Camas House, Dingwall, Inverness-Shire; Chrome Yellow Arts, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire; Competitive Edge, Ormskirk, Lancashire; Glasswells, Sudbury, Essex; Hawthorne Local, Liverpool, Merseyside; Natures Harvest, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire; Nice ‘n’ Naughty, Wigan, Lancashire; Oadby Carpets, Leicester, Leicestershire; Oak Garden Machinery, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire; Paroh, Birmingham, West Midlands; R J Weymouth, Salcombe, Devon; Simply Fresh, Warrington, Cheshire; The Middlesbrough Pharmacie & Medicine Bar, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire; W Boyes & Co, Coalville, Leicestershire & Hull, Yorkshire; Woodstock Timber & Sons, Brierley Hill, West Midlands.

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THE LAST WORD Steve Connell, Claire Hopwood and Facebook star Stan the terrier

Steve Connell

COVE GALLERY, WEYMOUTH/PARK GALLERY, CHELTENHAM

A QUARTER OF a century of learning at the Oxford Summer School has proved very useful to Steve Connell, who, with his wife Claire Hopwood, bought an art gallery in the summer of 2015 as part of a change of lifestyle. Having cut their teeth with Cove Gallery in Weymouth, the pair liked the experience of this specialist form of retailing so much they opened, from scratch, Park Gallery in Cheltenham last year.

Neither of us had any experience of selling art before we bought Cove Gallery. Claire had run her own recruitment agency, while I had been a sales and marketing consultant for many years. Early in my career I’d worked as retail manager for BT in Bristol and London’s Oxford Street. As a consultant, I spent many years working in the Middle East and it was time for a more relaxed lifestyle for us.

We wanted to live by the sea, so we visited 10 towns in about 10 days looking at 20 retail businesses. As soon as we walked into Cove Gallery, we knew it was for us. We didn’t know anything about art, but we knew what we liked, so we went from there.

“It had been run by an artist for five years.

The first thing we did was to broaden the scope, to make it less high-brow and more relevant for a seaside town. We have retained links with artists and makers in the West Country, but we have increased the number we deal with from about 30 to 130. Virtually everything we sell is original, hand-made or a limited edition. About 70% of what we sell comes from around Dorset.

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Rather than just paintings, we sell glass, ceramics, bronze items, jewellery, gifts and cards.

“The other thing we did was to be very active on social media. We invited customers to become Cove Gallery “Crew Members” to be the first to find out about our newest collections and offers, although posts featuring our dog Stan seem to be the most liked on Facebook! We also worked closely with the Weymouth BID and we are now ranked in the top two Weymouth retailers on Trip Advisor. We increased the turnover by 120% in 12 months.

“Claire and I are both very involved in the selection, but she tends to concentrate on gifts, ceramics and glass, while I concentrate on the painters. We spent a lot of time finding new artists and makers, but now we have a steady stream wanting to work with us. About 50% of our turnover comes from glass, ceramics and gifts, about 20% is from limited-edition prints and the balance is from original art. We buy the first two categories at wholesale as any regular retailer would. With the original art, we work on a sale-or-return commission basis.

Our commission rate is typically between 40% and 50%. In Weymouth we sell paintings for as much as £2,000, but some of our small pieces cost only £25, so we have a broad appeal, which is important in a seaside tourist town.

“The plan was to build up Cove Gallery over several years, sell it and move back to our home town of Cheltenham. But the chance to take a building on Montpellier Avenue, one of the town’s prime locations, came up, so we went for it. We opened on 1 July 2017, two years to the day since we’d taken over Cove.

Personally speaking

Hobbies: Golf, travelling Music: A little bit of everything Food: An English breakfast is only matched by an Indian curry Drink: Real ale Car: Alfa Romeo Best gadget: iPhone Best holiday: Unplanned, turn up and explore Fave film: Zulu Business hero: All entrepreneurs Best bit of advice received: Never under estimate what you can achieve Greatest achievement: Chairing the Oxford Summer School Academy Something surprising/unknown about you I am an author. My Personal Brand Essence was published in 2009.

Cove Gallery, 9 Trinity Street, Weymouth DT4 8TW  covegallery.co.uk  CoveGalleryWeymouth Park Gallery, 3 Montpellier Ave, Cheltenham GL50 1SA  parkgallery.co.uk  parkgallerycheltenham

“Cove Gallery is 50sq m on one floor. Park Gallery is 60sq m on three floors. There are no other art galleries in Weymouth; there are six competitors in Cheltenham, split between three popular art/print sellers and three high-end galleries. We had to find our place between these. We narrowed our selection, dropped the entry-level £25 “impulse buys” to concentrate on what was right as a lifestyle offer for local residents. The price spread in Park runs from about £50 to £3,500 for an original painting. Thirty of the artists from Weymouth sell with us in Cheltenham too and we have added another 25 who are right for the concept. We are known for modern, abstract and contemporary art. We have an excellent manager, Caz Blair, there as we still live in Weymouth.

“I attended the Oxford Summer School as a delegate in 1991 when I was working on Oxford Street. I was a group director for eight years from 1994 and then served as vice-chairman for two years before becoming chairman for four years. I have been the programme director for the academy since 2010. This year’s academy marks my 25th school. There is no way we’d have made such progress so quickly with the galleries without this experience. As well as the formal learning, you cannot help but absorb things at the academy. As we always say, invest a week of your life to change the rest of your life.

“A big lesson I’ve learned running a gallery is not to prejudge a customer. Often the person I think is browsing buys an expensive painting.

FEBRUARY 2018

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