Owing to the many years Bill, my brother, co-owner and fount of all knowledge about kitchens, has spent working in the kitchen industry, he’s developed many contacts with suppliers who look to him for information and analysis about what customer trends are happening and how they can grow their own businesess in line with the… read more
Attending a business networking meeting recently the attendees were asked how many wrote blogs? Proudly I put up my hand and, of the few of us who had, I was asked why. Good question! Before being asked it I would have immediately answered ‘it helps with search engine rankings’. Whilst true (it can help but… read more
The ongoing debate about the lack of available, affordable housing continues with the Royal Institute of British Architects claiming that new houses are‘shameful shoebox homes’ because the average size is 8% smaller than the recommended minimum . Predictably, the House Builders Federation has responded by saying that larger homes would be even more unaffordable for buyers… read more
I read with interest that the perennial news story about credit and debit charges levied by businesses and, in particular the low cost airlines, has resurfaced as the OFT’s consultation on the issue comes to an end. This isn’t the first time that the airlines have been criticised for their lack of transparency and fairness in… read more
So that’s the long summer holidays over with for another year and I can hear the cheers (or is it sighs of relief?) of many parents and grandparents throughout the country! Only joking! If, like us, it’s been great to enjoy a glass of wine well into the long summer nights, spend some quality time… read more
The reality of Moben’s demise earlier this year – and the impact on the lives of so many kitchen fitters (and their families) that they used to employ – is now, for us, becoming a reality. Over the past few weeks we’ve had several enquiries from fitters asking about any jobs we may have available…. read more
Unsurprisingly in today’s tough economic climate, every customer we’re lucky enough to talk to is after the best-priced new kitchen they can find for their hard-earned money. I choose the phrase ‘best-priced kitchen’ rather than ‘cheap kitchen’ because, having seen three clients this week each one has had a view in terms of what the… read more
With the worldwide economy continuing to contract as consumers and businesses rein in any discretionary income they have – something as retailers of new fitted kitchens we’re heavily reliant on – I’m struck by two news stories that have come out over the past week about Apple and Sony and how they’re each reacting to… read more
As I sat and watched the news last night, aghast at the devastation being wrought, it was the human stories – the ones that the rioters care not one jot about – that really struck home. As an independent kitchen retailer the news story that really resonated with me was the fire at the ‘House of… read more
In the latest of a series of occasional guest blogs written by Kieron Hayes, friend of Nicholas Hythe Kitchen Design Studio, he looks at the concept of ‘Community’ rather than ‘Corporate’ Social Responsibility and shows how small businesses can turn what they’re already doing into a way of helping grow their business. It’s been around since the 60s… read more
