The kbbreview Podcast (kbbreview, Andrew Davies)

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 23 of Season Three and your host as always is Andy Davies.

Really interesting episode this week as we delve into a couple of very different issues that have one thing in common – they are both incredibly important factors that will shape this industry for the next decade

First up we’re talking the environment and with the whole world focussed on Glasgow and the COP26 conference we're catching up with Richard Hagan from Crystal Doors who is there in the thick of it – what’s happening, what’s it like to be there, and what does it all mean for the KBB industry?

Richard is, of course, an evangelist for making this industry much more sustainable and his company has become an incredible example of just what can be done. If you want the background on his and Crystal Doors’ journey then go back to Episode 5 of Season 2 where we go into it in-depth, really inspiring it is too.  The link to that is here.

Then we’re revisiting the shortage of installers – still a massive issue of course – and we're talking to BiKBBI CEO Damian Walters and Quooker MD Stephen Johnson about the new KBB Fitted Interiors Apprenticeship – a real solution that maybe the answer to making sure we’re never in this position again.

It’s also now less than TWO WEEKS before entries close for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2022. The official closing date is November the 16th and there will be no extensions. It’s totally FREE to enter and we have categories for designers, retailers, suppliers, manufacturers and service providers and installers so there’s no excuse!

For everything you need to know go to kbbreview.com/awards

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Welcome to episode 20 of The kbbreview Podcast

Well, that’s it, you can open your showroom again if you want to – and as much as many people will not want to admit it, you have Wren Kitchens to thank for it. 

And, of course, kbbreview for finding it out.

Wren's challenge to the official lockdown regulations has meant that anyone selling kitchens and bathroom can almost certainly open their showrooms on an appointment only basis as long all social distancing guidelines are met. 

At least, that’s the current situation in England.

So the big question facing everyone now is simply this – to open or not to open. 

Some are champing at the bit, others are saying they will wait until the government feels it can lift lockdown measures further.

In this episode, we catch up with some of the retailers we’ve had on the podcast before to see what they’re doing and what their thoughts are about opening up.

We have Mark Butler from Butler Interiors, Shehryar Khan from Sheration Interiors, Jim Geddes from Kitchens by JS Geddes and Richard Hibbert from KSL and the chairman of the KBSA.

You can contact host Andy Davies at andrewdavies@taylistmedia.com

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is Episode 10 of Season 8 - that makes it the last episode of this season but don't worry,  we'll be back towards the end of July with Season Nine.

And for this triumphant finale we're going to celebrate by talking about something thoroughly depressing - mortgages. Let's be honest, interest rates are going up and up and as repayments go through the roof, people's willingness to fund their new kitchen or bathroom this way is going down and down.

So, I'll be talking to mortgage expert and friend of the show Iain Swatton and, hopefully, he'll be able to give us some light at the end of the tunnel

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The products you choose to display - and how you display them - are vital parts of any kitchen studio but how do you make sure you choose the right ones? More importantly, how do you sign off on the best terms with the suppliers? 

What makes a good display deal? What are the red flags that make you walk away? How much space should the brand reasonably expect? And, perhaps most relevant right now, do you carry on displaying products that aren't available. 

We're discussing all this and more with two very experienced retailers, Jim Gettings from J&S House of Design in Oxfordshire and Alex Jenman from Gainsborough Kitchens in Lincolnshire.

A huge thank you to our friends at Masterclass for being our Season Five Kitchen Sponsor, as many of you will know, they are a proudly British manufacturer of quality kitchen furniture, offering an amazing range of unique products for over 45 years. To find out more about you can become part of the Masterclass family go to masterclasskitchens.co.uk/hello-studios

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Welcome to the latest episode of The kbbreview Podcast and host Andy Davies is back in his loft raring to go with a couple of fascinating guests.

First up we’re looking at how retailers should be managing their online reputation – what can you do to make sure you know what people are saying about you in online reviews and how can you ensure it’s working positively for you?

This is, of course, so important for a market predominantly built on recommendations so I’ll be talking to reputation management expert Claire Beaumont from Igniyte.

Then we’re moving on to one of the biggest bathroom brands in the industry – Bristan – and its brand new CEO Martin Mongan. Most people will know him as the former head of Hansgrohe in the UK so what brought him back to the bathroom industry after a couple of years away?

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, you’re listening to Episode Five of Season Four and your host as always is Andy Davies.

A New Year always gives us a great excuse to talk about predictions and trends for the 12 months ahead and beyond. So, given everything that has happened with lockdowns and covid how are consumers viewing their homes and what they need from them? What are the overarching trends and priorities that they consider when they embark on a major project and purchase?

We’ve got researcher Jane Blakeborough from Trend Monitor to talk us through her new report – the Top Ten Priorities For Our Homes in 2022. 

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast. This week we're looking at an area that so many kbb retailers are increasingly relying on to drive leads – and that’s social media.

More precisely we’ve got a fantastic case study of one retailer who has taken social media and turned it into a huge part of their business mainly by utilising video through TikTok and other platforms.

We’re talking to Josh Delane from The Wood Works in London, and when I say he uses Tik Tok, he has over 400,000 followers and 6.5 million likes – one of his videos has had over 25 million views and, he says, anyone can do it with a bit of time and creativity.

Kbbreview’s deputy editor Vicki Evans caught up with him and it is genuinely inspiring stuff that shows just what’s possible with these new mediums so don’t miss it.

The Wood Works on Instagram

The Wood Works on Tik Tok 

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, yout host is Andy Davies and this is episode two of Season Eight and after last week's awards extravaganza - which, incidentally, we highly recommend listening to if you haven't heard it yet - we're getting back to basics.

We're looking at a simple question - if you've done a new kitchen or bathroom for a client, and somewhere down the line, one of the products fails in some way, who is going to take responsibility for sorting it out?

The supplier might simply send a new one out from the warehouse, who should pay to take the broken one out and fit the new one? Where does that supplier's liability begin and end, and, ultimately, does it all fall back on the retailer who needs to put their reputation and customer service above all, even if it puts them out of pocket.

To unpick all the permutations, I'll be joined by a couple of very experienced retailers - Michael Lloyd from Inspired Bathrooms & Kitchens on the Wirral and Elizabeth Pantling-Jones from Lima Kitchens in Milton Keynes.

And they have some proper nightmare stories of just this kind of thing happening to them.

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Welcome to another of our very special bonus podcast episodes all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2023.

In this series, we're building up to the event itself by meeting some of the finalists and judges that obviously play such an essential part in the biggest KBB industry gathering of the year.

It's in Cardiff on Thursday April 20th and the room will be packed with retailers, designers, suppliers and influencers from across the industry. So if you want to be there then it may already be too late but it's always worth heading to kbbreview.com/awards and seeing if any tickets have become available.

And this is a special episode as we're meeting our design category judges.

There's a bathroom judging panel and a totally different kitchen judging panel, and they meet on different days and in different locations. So we took the chance to get some thoughts from them for this very podcast.

These special bonus episodes are all made possible by our Awards 2023 Podcast Partner Sonas Bathrooms. They're a really influential and successful brand over in their native Ireland and they've just launched here in the UK with a great range of really stylish products. You  can find out more about them including how to become a Sonas dealer at sonasbathrooms.co.uk

#kbbawards2023

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast,  this is the first of two special episodes of the show coming to you live from the NEC and kbb Birmingham 2022.

Your host as always is Andy Davies and we're looking at the state of the market, supply chain issues, and whether you can possibly predict or forecast what happens next.

In this episode we have Jim McEwan from Haier, Rashpal Sidhu from Roca, Jonathan Hartley from Samsung, and retailers Darren Morgan and Darren Taylor.

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Welcome to  another of our very special bonus episodes of The kbbreview Podcast all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2023.

Between now and the big day in April we'll be meeting the judges, finalists and organisers that make up the biggest event in the kbb industry this year.

The event itself in Cardiff on Thursday, April the 20th - and if you haven't booked your tickets yet then you are risking missing out on being in the room with hundreds of the industry's biggest brands, retailers, designers and influencers.

You can find out everything you need to know at kbbreview.com/awards - all the info you need is there and you can book your places there too.

And Cardiff itself is at the heart of today's show as I'll be chatting to a couple of our design finalists who live and work in the great Welsh capital. They're our locals who will have the homegrown advantage.

We'll be meeting kitchen design finalist Kate Lusty from Elementi Cucina and bathroom design finalist Daniella Fantini-Griffiths from The Tap End.

A huge thanks to our very good friends at Sonas Bathrooms, our awards Podcast Partner for 2023.

They're a hugely successful company in Ireland and they've just launched themselves into the UK with their stylish and high-quality range of products. You can find out more about becoming a Sonas Bathroom retailer by going to sonasbathrooms.co.uk

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This is episode 18 of the kbbreview Podcast and we're looking at the thorny issue of supplier credit for retailers with Paul Hide, the head of the appliance manufacturers' trade association Amdea. 

We're also welcoming back Joel La Rosa who tells us how and why business at his kitchen and bathroom retail and design business has never been better.

If you’re interested in sponsoring the podcast you can contact Andrew Davies on LinkedIn or by emailing andrewdavies@taylistmedia.com.

You can find out more about Amdea at https://www.amdea.org.uk/

You can find out more about Joel La Rosa at https://joellarosadesign.co.uk/

DESERTED ISLAND DISCS

Paul chose Boys of Summer by Don Henley

https://youtu.be/gb1wYslTBk8

Joel chose Retrograde by James Blake

https://youtu.be/6p6PcFFUm5I

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is episode 4 of Season 7.

This week we've got another great episode packed with digital marketing advice for kitchen and bathroom retailers from our guru Josh Delane from The Wood Works in London.

In previous episodes we've talked about TikTok, Instagram and Getting the Most Bang For Your Buck and this week we're looking at that other essential  - Google Ads.

In theory it's about creating online ads that reach people exactly when they're interested in buying something from you - but how does it work and how do you make sure it's working for you?

We'll be getting all the tips from Josh and hearing how he has used Google Ads to grow his family business.

Don't forget to book your tickets for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards, the event is on Thursday April 20 th in Cardiff and you can find out everything at kbbreview.com/awards

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is episode 16 of season four.

This really interesting episode is about all about a word that paradoxically manages to be one of the most frequently used in this industry without anyone knowing what it really means.

Or, more precisely, everyone has their own interpretation and definition of what it means which therefore allows it to be used to describe pretty much anything you want.

And the word is……Bespoke.

To some purists it means a tree goes in one end of a workshop and kitchen comes out of the other. To many people, however, it means that the vast choice of modular options coupled with the huge variation in client’s spaces means that no two kitchens will ever be the same and so they are bespoke.

So if anyone can use it, where does the value in the word lie?

It’s a very woolly area so we're talking it all through Sean O’Malley from Arbor Lane Interiors in Kent which happily and proudly describes itself as a bespoke furniture manufacturer.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is another very special bonus episode of the show where we get to meet some of the industry's leading suppliers and really get under the skin of what makes them tick.

Today it's a great one as we talk to leading distributor Lawcris about a subject that is shaping, guiding and creating the business now and into the future - and that's sustainability.

It's a huge topic, but so, so important and this is a great case study of how one company is not just on it's own journey, but also how - as a distributor - it is learning and passing on the best practices of those above and below it in the chain.

We're meeting marketing manager Lauren Barker and I promise you this is such an interesting story so stick around for that.

Today's episode is brought to you with the support of our very good friends at Lawcris. They lead the field in wood based panel products, laminates and edgings with big brands such as Emporio Skin, Kronospan and many more. With over 40 vehicles in their fleet, they can provide next day delivery on all stocked products. You can find out all about them at lawcris.co.uk

This episode is commercial content

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 5 of Season 3.

Big developments this week as Andy actually leaves the loft to go and see some real retailers in actual showrooms.

In the first of a two-part trip out into the wild, Andy visits two legendary London locations - Wigmore Street and Waterloo. The first is the home of Halcyon Interiors and Andy meets up with showroom and design manager Graham Robinson.

Then he heads over to Waterloo to the spectacular flagship showroom of CP Hart and sits down with Group Sales Director Paul Rowland.

How are they finding the market now the showrooms are open? And how did they fare during the lockdowns?

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, this is Episode 9 of Season 9 and Iyour host as always is Andy Davies.

It's our penultimate show of the season and it's a real state-of-the-industry one today as we look at an area that is a real bellwether for how we're all doing - and that's recruitment.

Redundancies and job losses are always an indicator of a significant downturn, however the paradox is that there are still significant skills gaps and vacancies that can't be filled - good people are still really hard to find.

So we'll be getting the expert view of Peter Jones from recruitment agency Foyne Jones.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is a very special bonus episode of the show.

We're talking to Martin Mongan, the CEO of the Bristan Group - he's an incredibly experienced player in the UK bathroom market of course so we're getting his views on what's happening in the sector. We'll also be catching up specifically on Heritage Bathrooms, who are very kindly our Bathroom Sponsor for Season Seven,

Heritage has been a leading brand in the UK market for nearly 40 years and they've just had a huge launch of new products, but as we'll hear, there's so much more to it than just that.

You can get a proper look at all those new products by going to heritagebathrooms.com

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode five of season 7 and your host is Andy Davies.

We're returning to the thorny subject of installation this week, thorny because the number of skilled, experienced kitchen and bathroom fitters out in the market continues to be as concerning as ever.

It is clearly so essential to the survival of the UK kitchen and bathroom market that whether you're a manufacturer, supplier, retailer, designer or, indeed, one of the skilled, experienced fitters that are out there then this is going to affect your business massively - even critically.

Last week I went to the annual conference of the British Institute of Kitchen Bedroom and Bathroom Installation - better known as the BiKBBI - and this crisis, this potential catastrophe as CEO Damian Walters describes it, loomed large over the whole event.

There were lots of very interesting speakers there but we're focussing on two of them - Damian himself who, as you will hear, didn't beat around the bush in his views on what the industry is doing, or more precisely isn't doing.

And Mark Farmer, author of The Farmer Review - a report he wrote for Government in 2016 looking at the UK Construction sector. Even then he called that report 'Modernise or Die'. He is now one of the government's most senior advisers on the UK construction industry and, again, his warnings are very stark indeed...

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is episode 8 of Season 5.

And it's a very special one because we're all about the launch of the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2023. Entries are now open, it's totally free and we've got categories for retailers, designers, installers and suppliers so there's something in here for everyone.

We're going to catch up with a few of the 2022 winners,  answer some of the questions we get asked the most, hopefully dispel some myths and we'll give you our top tips for putting together a winning entry.

In other words, everything you need to know about the awards is in this episode.

Special guests: Chantel Elshout, Kenny Luck, Shehryar Khan and Neil Gokcen

For all info on the awards go to kbbreview.com/awards

If you’ve got any questions at all about entering or booking your seats and tables, feel free to give Tracey a call on 020 8515 2113 or tracey@taylistmedia.com.

If you fancy finding out about sponsoring the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2023, contact Dean on 020 8515 2071 or dean@taylistmedia.com.

Alternatively, you can have a chat with your usual Taylist Media account manager who’ll be happy to help.

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Welcome to the kbbreview podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is episode 11 of season four.

This week’s show is all about changes in EU competition law....no, don’t touch that button, I promise it’s worth it because it deals with a subject that has been winding up kbb retailers for years – the price of stuff on the internet.

The law is changing – and it will be adopted in the UK too – to mean that suppliers can charge different prices for different channels. In other words, the investment you make in them as showroom retailers, could finally be rewarded with a lower price than they’re charging online retailers.

We have all the legal background and analysis with top lawyer Stephen Sidkin from Fox Williams.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Episode Ten of Season Seven and, more importantly, that makes it the last full episode of this season.

We're going to round it off with another awards bonus later in the week but, yes, this is the last full show before we take a bit of a break to, you know, do some proper work.

But to round off Season Seven, we're off to Germany. Frankfurt to be precise as last week saw the return of ISH, the huuuuge bathroom exhibition where all the biggest brands launch their latest products and concepts.

Our roving reporter there is kbbreview editor Rebecca Nottingham so we'll be catching up with her live at the show, and we'll be hearing some of the interviews she's done while she's there with the likes of Hansgrohe, VitrA, Laufen and Kaldewei.

This is top level stuff that will shape the design trends, product capabilities and industry strategy for the next couple of years so it's massively relevant for you if you sell bathrooms but also anyone interested in how big business is approaching this sector in general.

You can find all the episodes of Season Seven here

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This is a special episode looking a really interesting initiative that is trying to address an issue that – before the coronavirus – was cited by a survey of kbbreview retailers to be the biggest problem facing their business, and that’s quality installations.

We’ve got Damian Walters back from the British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom Installers (BiKBBI) and he is telling us about ‘Protected’, a scheme that aims to set up a new way for consumers and retailers to interact with installers that protects everyone’s interests along the way.

And at a time when many retailers are looking at how their businesses might function after the lockdown finishes, it’s a really interesting idea.

You can find out more by going to protectmyinstall.co.uk/retailers or by calling 0800 999 1905

You can listen to The Kitchen & Bathroom Design Podcast by going to podcast.kbbreview.com or by searching ‘kitchen and bathroom design’ in your podcast app.

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Welcome to this special episode to kick off season two of The kbbreview Podcast.

This is a detailed look into the highs and lows of the lockdown period for the independent kitchen and bathroom retail market to give us a snapshot of what happened and what might happen.

Is this all pent-up demand that will inevitably wear off? 

Or is this the ‘new normal’ that we heard so much about during the lockdown

As difficult as it’s been, has the kbb industry got off pretty lightly compared to many other sectors? And are we truly the benefactors of the lockdown paradox – forcing people to stay at home has actually made them want to improve their home…

To make sure you don’t miss any future episodes of The kbbreview Podcast make sure you subscribe via your podcast app of choice – simply search ‘kbbreview. 

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast – this is episode 18 of Season Two – and your host as always is Taylist Media managing editor Andy Davies.

Spring is coming fast, we’ve had 20 million vaccines and we’ve been able to add another word to our covid vocabulary – roadmap. It's the plan that will lead us all out of lockdown and into the promised land, or at least the nearest pub.

In this episode we’re discussing whether those roadmaps go far enough with two top kbb retailers – we have friend-of-the-pod Richard Hibbert from KSL in Sudbury and we meet Joe Varley, the owner of Varleys of Newtown in Wales.

Rich Hibbert is also, of course, the chairman of the KBSA, so as well as roadmaps we’re also talking level playing fields – the campaign aiming to lawfully allow kbb retailers to open their showrooms to trade customers.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 8 of season 4 in old money, but all the cool kids are calling it the second of our two special episodes from kbb Birmingham 2022.

Your host is Andy Davies and  we're  carrying on with the themes of the show which  are the importance of getting back face-to-face, leading player's current views on the market and where it might go in the future and, of course, what's going on with the availability of products. 

Last time, there was a definite positive vibe coming from the manufacturers that there is light at the end of the tunnel but retailers were still seeing very real issues on the shopfloor. So let's see if others agree...

Featuring...

Luke Harding from Electrolux

Ashley Munden from InSinkErator

Richard Hibbert from the KBSA and KSL in Sudbury

and

Matt Phillips from Rotpunkt

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies.

This is episode 17 of Season Two and we’ve got a very special guest today as we tackle the often uncomfortable subject of online retail.

We're talking to the CEO of one of the biggest online bathroom retailers – James Hickman of Plumbworld.

He’s a fascainting guy and he’s very candid and measured about his views on the showrooms vs online debate but he’s also got a lot of insight into how people shop online and, in particular, just how much people really do look around showrooms and then buy online.

And if you’re not a bathroom person then don’t worry, everything in here is very applicable across the whole of kbb world. Essential listening.

You can find out more about Plumbworld here.

And don't forget that the best way to listen to this podcast is through an app on your phone such as Apple Podcasts. It’s all free and it means you can subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes, see all the previous ones and, of course, you can listen on the go.

And if you enjoy these shows please rate and review us as it really encourages other people to give us a try.

Simply search ‘kbbreview’ - all one word - in your app and you’ll find us.

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Welcome to the kbbreview podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is episode 4 of season 5.

And it’s a big picture episode this week as we’re all about the numbers. 

With so many scary numbers floating around about the economy we thought we’d ask two of our favourite researchers to come up with a couple of interesting numbers each that they believe really illustrate the current state of the kbb market.

And they’re not necessarily what you’d think.

We have kbbreview’s Matt Baker talking to Jane Blakeborough from Trend Monitor and Dave Ruston from Eureka Research. 

Then at the end, just as a little easter egg, there’s a short interview Andy did at the Bathroom Manufacturers Association Conference a few months ago with Robert Llewelyn – better known as the actor who plays Kryten from Red Dwarf . He’s actually a very accomplished conference speaker talking mostly about how the car industry is evolving and changing as it tackles its role in climate change – very relevant to the struggle the kbb industry finds itself in.

He's a very interesting guy but, don’t worry, Andy does get him to do the Kryten voice as well...

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, this is episode seven of season two and your host as always is Taylist Media managing editor Andy Davies.

We have a couple of really interesting guests for this episode that illustrate in very different ways where this industry is right now.

First up we have David Dare, the owner and managing director of Clive Christian Furniture – it’s an iconic ultra-premium brand so his view of that sector of the market is fascinating and, seeing as he only took the company over a year ago, how has he coped with the unexpected events of 2020?

Then we have Alan Margetts of South East retailer The Kitchen Store – his point of view is really interesting as he has decided NOT to open his showrooms up despite the guidance we’ve all seen saying you can. For him, he says, it doesn’t feel right morally.

You can  also find out more about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2021 at the official site here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe via your podcast app of choice - just search 'kbbreview' - and please rate and review us while you're there as it really encourages others to give us a listen.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 6 of season 6 and  your host as always is Andy Davies.

This week we're attempting to scratch one of independent kbb retail's most persistent itches - and that's whether or not you should charge a fee for your design time.

But, specifically, we're looking at how that does or doesn't fit into how you qualify your customers - in other words, how you work out whether they're just going to waste your time or not.

Are you the fifth retailer they've visited that day? Are they more interested in price than design? Are they carrying a Wren brochure under their arm?

So we'll be talking design fees and spotting tyre kickers with three top retailers - Jonathan Kneen from Creative Interiors in the Isle Of Man, Anna Rock from Colin Maher Design in Dublin, and Nick Warrington from Stuart J Warrington in Macclesfield.

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Welcome to another special bonus Save Our Skills episode of The kbbreview Podcast with your host Andy Davies.

When it comes to recruitment the ultimate decision maker in any company is the boss – the buck stops with them whether they are deciding on individual roles or setting a strategy that influences who gets hired across the board.

What does the boss think? What are they looking for and how do they put that team together?

We're chatting to someone who is not only a prominent kbb boss, but is also a big supporter of Save Our Skills and that’s Stephen Johnson from Quooker.

The Save Our Skills campaign is all about keeping the skills, knowledge and experience of those being made redundant thanks to the economic impact of the coronavirus inside the kbb industry.

We send out a regular Save Our Skills email to the whole industry showcase candidates who have found themselves looking for new roles. 

We’ve had fantastic success with it – in fact, two-thirds of those who have been featured now have new jobs – so if you or anyone you know wants to be on it then go to kbbreview.com/saveourskills to find out more.

And it’s all totally free, no strings attached, just kbbreview doing it’s bit to support the industry.

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This is episode 23 of The kbbreview Podcast with a couple of very interesting guests. 

Firstly we have Jane Blakeborough from KBB researchers Trend Monitor. We teamed up with them to run a survey of consumers looking at whether they will continue with existing kitchen and bathroom projects or start new ones after being stuck at home for so long. Here's a write up of the main results.

Then we have the overall winner of the Lockdown Special design competition Scott Lawrence from Yeo Design. He’s going to talk us through the design so if you haven’t seen it yet, here is the direct link.

DESERTED KITCHEN ISLAND DISCS

Jane chose I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor

Scott chose Near Mint by Deleter

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is episode four of season two.

We’ve got two really interesting retailers as guests today – one kitchen, one bathroom  - but both with very different stories.

First up we have Joe Muhl from Ocean Bathrooms – they’re family business based in the Dorset but they also have a showroom in central London and they’re about to open a brand new studio in Poole. So we’ll hear all about planning that in lockdown.

To find out more about Ocean Bathrooms click here

And then we have a man who needs no introduction but I’m doing it anyway – and that’s Charlie Smallbone, his experience of managing the ups and downs of the market is huge and, of course, he’s now running his own Ledbury Studio in Notting Hill. So we’re so lucky to get his insight into the luxury premium end of the market.

To find out more about Ledbury Studio click here

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast,  this is episode 6 of season 4 and your host as always is Andy Davies.

This time we’re challenging a bit of classic retail gospel – is the customer really always right?

In particular we’re looking at that in terms of kitchen and bathroom design, as long as it’s safe and complies with all the regs, can the client have whatever they want regardless of how much advice you’ve given them to the contrary?

Or is there a cut-off point when you say 'no' and walk away because you just wouldn’t want to put your name to it.

We're talking to two great designers, Jon Stewart from Vegas Kitchens in Folkestone and Kenny Luck from Luck and Fuller Bathroom Design Studio in Billericay.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is episode seven of season nine. 

But as much as we all like knowing the reference number, this episode is all about something much more momentous - entries are open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024.

Entries opened on September the 1st for the biggest awards in the UK and Ireland kitchen and bathroom sector and after a triumphant night in Cardiff back in April for the conclusion of the 2023 awards, we're kicking off 2024 right here.

And it's a very, very special one as this time around we're celebrating an amazing 30 years.

So in this episode we're going to break down all  the important stuff you need to know - what's it all about? what are the categories? and how does the judging work? 

And, most importantly, we'll give you Andy's top tips for putting perfect entries together - and once you've heard them, there's no excuse for not entering....

It's also a huge pleasure to welcome back our awards Podcast Partner for 2024 - Sonas Bathrooms! It's great to have their support again as between now and the event in March we'll be bringing you special bonus episodes where we'll meet previous winners as well as 2024 judges and finalists. In fact, we'll be revealing the shortlist itself in a very special episode just before Christmas.

For all the info on categories and entering as well as booking your seats and tables at the event go to kbbreview.com/awards

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast – this is episode 12 of Season Three and it’s a bit of a unique one this week. Your host as always is Andy Davies and he’s bringing the show from his seat at Wembley Stadium during Sunday’ Euro 2020 final. 

It has nothing to do with the guests on the show but who cares.

We have a great interview with Jon Wallis, he runs Andy’s local independent kbb retailer WC One in Shortlands just outside Bromley. We hear all about his lockdown experience, the biggest issues currently affecting his business and plans for the future,

Then we hear from John Pickering, he’s the head of Miele in the UK and Ireland and he’s very candid about the brand’s successes, supply issues and online sales – don’t miss that one.

Plus, Andy does a poor Radio 5 Live impression as you get to hear that penalty shootout from inside the stadium…

The podcast is taking a mid-season break for two weeks while we catch ourselves up so we’ll see you in a fortnight!

And huge thanks to HiSense for their hospitality at Wembley.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and as well as being episode 10 of Season 5, and it is also the last episode of Season 5. We're going to take a little break and we'll be back with Season 6 later in October.

But we're rounding this season off with a discussion about a topic that affects every single retailer in the country - what and how do you pay your staff?

In particular we're looking at sales designers - do you pay low salary and high commission? Or high salary and low commission? And how do you even work out what that commission is going to be in the first place? Is it based on turnover or profit? And if the whole point is to motivate people to sell, what does that mean for those who simply want to design.

We're talking all this through with two friends of the show - consultant Toby Griffin and top retailer Elizabeth Pantling-Jones.

It may be the end of Season 5 but we're right bang in the middle of entries for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2023. As always, it's totally FREE to enter and we have categories for kitchen and bathroom designers, retailers, installers and suppliers. The closing date is November 17th and if you want to find out more you can either go back a couple of episodes of this very podcast or go to kbbreview.com/awards.

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Welcome to the another very special bonus episode of the kbbreview podcast dedicated to the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2021.

We’re into July and that means we’re now counting down the weeks to the event and very exciting it is too.

As you may have heard, we’ve switched to a bigger venue by popular demand – it’s still in Liverpool, still on September the 15th, but we’re now in the iconic Liverpool Cathedral.

It’s an astonishing building, a true British landmark and a spectacular backdrop for what will be the biggest kbb industry post-lockdown party. In fact, it’s such an amazing place, we’ve decided to dedicate this whole bonus episode to finding out more about it.

We're talking to Brian Dowling, who is one of the official cathedral guides so what he doesn’t know about the place isn’t worth knowing – trust me, there are monkeys, circus dwarves and enormous bells, so don’t miss it.

Remember, you can book your seats and tables now at www.kbbreview.com/awards

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies as always and this is episode 11 of Season Three.

A couple of very diverse subjects today but both ultimately come down to the day-to-day running of your showroom.

First up we’re looking at water labels – again - last week the government announced that it is introducing a mandatory water efficiency label on products and that could not only make the retailer liable for displaying it but may also lead to the effective banning of water guzzling products.

We're getting all the current info from BMA CEO Tom Reynolds and Unified Water Label managing director Yvonne Orgill.

Then we’re looking into the continuation of the by-appointment-only scheme past the end of lockdown. Has this system, forced on many retailers by social distancing rules, turned out to be a game changer for how they operate in the future.

I’m talking to Ritchie Hanley from Ability Kitchens in Chester and Jo Geddes from Kitchens by JS Geddes in Kilmarnock.

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This is episode two of our new special podcast looking at how kitchen and bathroom retailers are coping and managing the business uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus.

Today we’ve got a couple of great guests with real insight into what’s happening – Richard Hibbert is the owner of KSL in Sudbury but also the current chairman of the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA) and Neil Clark is the UK managing director of one of the biggest suppliers in the sector, Franke.

Get in touch with Richard via LinkedIn or the KSL website https://www.kslsudbury.co.uk/

You can find out all about the KBSA at https://www.kbsa.org.uk/

And Neil is also on LinkedIn and you can find out all about Franke at https://www.franke.com/gb/en.html

You can find Andrew Davies on LinkedIn or email direct andrewdavies@taylistmedia.com

Please subscribe to make sure you don’t miss an episode and rate and review us as it really helps others find us.

Deserted Kitchen Island Disc choices:

• Richard Hibbert - Happy by Pharrell Williams https://youtu.be/ZbZSe6N_BXs
• Neil Clark - Stand by REM https://youtu.be/bLaSXpqp__E

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This is episode 26 of The kbbreview Podcast from Taylist Media with your host Andrew Davies.

First up, we’re talking to Jonny Westbrooke from The Furniture Maker’s Company – the livery company and charity that, along with many other things, provides support to members of the furniture industry who have fallen on difficult financial times – very relevant at the moment of course and Jonny tells us what practical help they can get.

Then we’re talking to the father and daughter team of Mick Murphy and Natalie Peters from Norfolk retailer Kitchens Etc. A really interesting business, and Natalie has just finished the Kitchen Design Degree course and she’ll be tells us all about it.

SAVE OUR SKILLS

You can see all the candidates so far from our Save Our Skills campaign here... 

If you've recently been made redundant from a role in the kbb sector then read this Q&A to find out how you can be up on our Save Our Skills page…

We've also got independent retailers taking us up on our offer to post their job vacancies on kbbreview.com for FREE. Have a look at them here... 

If you're a retailer with a vacancy, have a read of this Q&A to find out how to get your job ad published for FREE… 

THE FURNITURE MAKERS COMPANY

You can find out about The Furniture Makers Welfare scheme here…

KITCHEN DESIGN DEGREE COURSE

Find out about The Kitchen Education Trust (TKET) – the body that links the kitchen industry with the education sector here…

And details on the kitchen design degree course here…

DESERTED KITCHEN ISLAND DISCS

Jonny chose Teenage Kicks by The Undertones 

Natalie chose Dance Monkey by Tones and I 

Mick chose Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones

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Welcome to episode 14 of season four of The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies.

Great episode this week as we look beyond the kitchen and bathroom industry to a couple of big external factors that heavily influence it. 

Firstly we’re delving into what’s going on in the retail market with top consultant Ian Scott and then we’re unlocking the front door of the property and mortgage market with Iain Swatton from mortgage switching site Dashly.

Cost of living rises, interest rates, consumer confidence, inflation, online vs showroom, remortgages and everything in between all in this top episode.

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Welcome to this special bonus episode of the kbbreview podcast, I'm your host Andy Davies.

This is the final instalment of our Insights 2023 series today -  a fascinating series where we talk to kbb industry leaders about their thoughts looking back at 2022 and where they think the opportunities, pitfalls and growth lies in 2023.

It's a dive look into some of the sharpest minds in the industry and we’ve been very lucky to get their views

This week I'm talking to Dominic Worsley, the head of appliance brand CDA. He took over the company a year ago with ambitious plans for growth and expansion but the applaince market has not had an easy time of it this year.

So, how does he view 2022 as it draws to a close, and how is his confidence as he looks forward to 2023 for both CDA and the industry as a whole.

This bonus episode is commercial content.

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Welcome to episode 11 of season two of The kbbreview Podcast.

Your host as always is Andy Davies and this is the penultimate full episode before we knock off for Christmas and so as an early present today’s show is full of inspiration and wisdom.

We have two very special guests with different backgrounds and at different stages of their kbb careers. However both have very inspirational approaches and have a lot of inherent business sagacity.

First up we’ve got  Theo Constanti of The Marble Group – they’re a very successful London-based stone fabricator but Theo has also just been named as Santander’s Most Inspirational Business Mentor of the Year. He has such a great story to tell.

And then we have James Herriot of Callerton Kitchens – and I’m sure he won’t mind be describing him as a veteran of the kbb industry and he’s seen economic crises come and go so his insight on the current situation and what businesses need to be doing is absolutely priceless.

If you enjoyed this episode then we have loads more in our archive and the best way to find them is by using a podcast app such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify – just search ‘kbbreview’ all one word and you’ll find us. 

You can then also subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes and leave us a glowing rating and review because that would be a lovely Christmas present.

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Here’s episode 8 and it’s a bit different today as we have one guest but it’s incredibly relevant to how many of you are feeling right now - how do you keep your name out there while your showrooms are closed?

We’ll be talking to David Barker from Inspire KBB – he’s a specialist in marketing for kitchen and bathroom specialists so he’s got a lot of insight into exactly what you need to be doing right now to set yourselves up for the next few weeks and beyond.

You can find host Andrew Davies on LinkedIn or email him at andrewdavies@taylistmedia.com.

You can find David Barker on LinkedIn and find out about more about Inspire KBB https://www.inspirekbb.com/

David’s Deserted Kitchen Island Disc choice was Hi Ho Wolverhampton by Wolves Fans

https://youtu.be/8E5RSbASlLY

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies but that's really not important, the bit you actually need to know is that this is episode 2 of Season 6 and we're off to a flying start with the first of a two-part special.

Yes indeed, a double whammy this week and next. 

We're going to hear from a roundtable of top retailers discussing some of the biggest topics in the industry - post-lockdown business, supply chain problems, training and sustainability and it's all such good stuff that we're splitting it across two episodes.

At the end of September the KBSA ran a very successful conference and part of it was a fascinating on-stage discussion between Rob Mascari of Mascari Design, Paul O'Brien from Kitchens International, Paul O'Brien from Diane Berry Kitchens, Keith Myers from the Myers Touch, and Tony Robson from Day True. We'll also hear from Dawn Short from Callerton and Stephen Johnson from Quooker representing the suppliers.

There's a lot to unpick but we've dug out all the best bits for your delectation. In this first part we'll be looking at how their business has changed during and since the lockdowns, including some really interesting comments and opinions on working by-appointment only, and then we'll move onto sustainability and they're very candid about their views on who is responsible for what and whether consumers are actually bothered.

If you're interested in the episode mentioned by Tony Robson, here's the link

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Welcome to the first of these very special bonus episodes of The kbbreview Podcast all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2023.

Between now and the big day in April we'll be meeting the judges, finalists and organisers that make up the biggest event in the kbb industry this year.

And judging is going on as we speak - the business category judges are out on the road visiting all the finalists in person and next week we have the design judging days where finalists present their project to the design judges.

So it's all warming up nicely as we approach the event itself which is in Cardiff on Thursday, April the 20th - and if you haven't booked your tickets yet then you are risking missing out on being in the room with hundreds of the industry's biggest brands, retailers, designers and influencers.

But you can rectify that right now by going to kbbreview.com/awards - all the info you need is there and you can book your places there too.

We're kicking off this special awards series with a special interview - we're talking to Richard Sloan, the CEO of Sonas Bathrooms who are our 2023 Awards Podcast Partner.

They're a hugely successful company over in Ireland and they've just launched themselves into the UK with their stylish and high-quality range of products. 

So we'll find out all about their plans from Richard and you can find out more about becoming a Sonas Bathroom retailer by going to sonasbathrooms.com

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast,  your host as always is Andy Davies and this is episode 10 of Season 4 .

It’s a really interesting episode this week too  as we discuss a subject that I’m sure many busy kitchen and bathroom retailers have somewhere in their minds at the moment – should I, or shouldn’t I expand the business?

Bigger premises, new location, expand your offering – it’s all so tempting isn’t it, but what are the pros and cons and what’s the train of thought that leads to the big leap?

We’ve got two great retailers, both have been on the show before, and that’s Dan Stronge from Jones Britain and Mark Edwards from House of Harrogate. Dan is literally in the middle of converting his new premises as he expands his business right now, and Mark went through the whole process a few years ago so we’re going to hear their stories, their decision-making process and some great advice for anyone thinking of giving it a go. 

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Welcome to this kbbreview Retail & Design Awards bonus podcast with your host Andrew Davies.

This is the first of regular episodes all about the biggest and longest-running awards event in the kitchen and bathroom industry.

As the episodes go on we’ll be talking to previous winners and judges, revealing the shortlists and  taking a look behind the trends. Most importantly, we’ll be making sure you know everything you need to know about entering.

We’re kicking off by answering some of the most frequently asked questions to get everyone up to speed with the basics, and we'll be doing that with the help of kbbreview editor Rebecca Nottingham.

We're delighted to say that our Podcast Partner for 2021 is Swift Electrical, the UK’s No 1 big brand distributor of sinks, taps and appliances and they're delighted to be sponsoring this podcast. For all their latest offers please make sure that you visit swiftuk.co.uk or call a member of the Swift team.

You can find out everything you need to know about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2021 here

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast with your host Andy Davies. This is episode 6 of season two and it’s a very special episode as today – November 5th – the new national lockdown has begun.

And, just like last time, since it was announced on Saturday there was huge confusion among kbb retailers not knowing whether they were allowed to open or not.

Back in May a challenge by Wren lead to kbb retail being classified as ‘building supplies’ and showrooms were therefore allowed to open. Most did open, albeit by appointment only, and it kick started a big surge in pent-up demand.

So do those rules apply in the new lockdown? Can you open or not if you want to?

Find out more on the KBSA here

Find out more about KSL here

Find out more about Sheraton Interiors here

Find out more about Roman Kitchens here

Find out more about House of Harrogate here

Find out more about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2021 here

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and for anyone who says he's not then we demand compensation or we'll see you in court!

Yes, this week we're talking all about dispute resolution or, in layman's terms, what you do when you have a disagreement with a customer and shouting rude things about their mother to them through their letterbox just doesn't seem to be helping get it all to a mutually agreeable conclusion.

Genuine customer disputes are few and far between in the independent kitchen and bathroom retailer world, these are businesses built on exceptional customer service of course, but every now and again, despite all your best efforts, things can go wrong.

Or, probably more likely, awkward clients just aren't listening to reason.

And that's where you might need some professional help, so we'll be talking it all through with Ciaran Harkin from Dispute Assist.

EPISODE SPONSOR

Today's episode is brought to you with the support of our very good friends at Lawcris. They lead the field in wood based panel products, laminates and edgings with big brands such as Emporio Skin, Kronospan and many more. With over 40 vehicles in their fleet, they can provide next day delivery on all stocked products. You can find out all about them at lawcris.co.uk

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Welcome the kbbreview Podcast from Taylist Media, this is episode 24 with host Andy Davies.

As always, we have a couple of really interesting guests. First up we have a very switched on bathroom retailer from down here in London  and that’s Sam Colwill from Bathrooms By Design. He’s got some interesting views on how they need to adapt to how the consumer will research and purchase bathrooms in the future.

Then we have Paul Jenkinson from Faith Furniture – he’s another proudly British manufacturer who believes that UK retailers will look more towards home for their products.

You find out more about BathroomsByDesign at their excellent website

Equally, you can see about Faith Furniture at its site.

DESERTED KITCHEN ISLAND DISCS

Sam chose Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Paul chose Happy by Pharrell Williams

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is episode ten of season six.

But none of that stuff is important right now, because this is a very, very special episode. We are EXCLUSIVELY revealing the shortlist for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2023 right here on the podcast. 

The scores are in, they have been counted and verified (about half an hour before we recorded!), and we have the very first look at the full rundown of finalists. 

Andy is joined by kbbreview editor Rebecca Nottingham to unveil the list in what is not only our last episode of season six but also the  last episode of 2022. So good luck everyone, and Merry Christmas!

P.S. Don't forget that the awards event itself is on April 20th 2023 in Cardiff so book your tickets now to make sure you don't miss out on the biggest kbb party of the year! Go to kbbreview.com/awards for all the details.

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Welcome to the kbbreview podcast, this is episode 9 of Season 5 and your host as always is Andy Davies.

Great episode this week as we chat to one of the most high profile designers in the UK – Linda Barker. She is one of the original ‘celebrity’ designers, shooting to fame on Changing Rooms of course and is now a very successful interior designer and interior product designer plus, of course, a judge at the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards.

We talk about how she got into design as a profession, how she got the Changing Rooms gig, and she tell us all about her new kitchen that she designed herself that will feature on the cover of the next issue of our sister consumer title Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms.

There’s no question in my mind that we wouldn’t have the huge choice and variety in the kbb industry today if the public’s understanding and interest in interior design hadn’t been kick-started by Changing Rooms. It’s a hugely influence on the trajectory of this industry and we discuss all that too.

Once again, a massive huge thank you to our very good friends at Masterclass for being our Season Five Kitchen Sponsor, as many of you will know, they are a proudly British manufacturer of quality kitchen furniture, offering an amazing range of unique products for over 45 years. To find out more about you can become part of the Masterclass family go to masterclasskitchens.co.uk/hello-studios

And don’t forget that entries are open now for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2023. It’s totally FREE to enter and we have categories for designers, retailers, supplier, and installers so there’s something for everyone.

Go to kbbreview.com/awards to find everything you need to know.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast and this, the penultimate episode in our special bonus series all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2023.

There's now less than a week to go before the big night in Cardiff on April 20th and the final episode in the series will be coming from the event itself where, hopefully, we'll be catching up with winners, judges, and any other industry luminaries we can pin down.

But for today we're meeting another couple of finalists, and this time we're at the sharp end of the retail categories with Sofia Bune from Sola Kitchens in London - they're up for Kitchen Showroom of the Year and Michael Queen from Thistle KItchens and Bathrooms in Aberdeen - they're on the shortlist for Bathroom Retailer of the Year.

We're be hearing all about what makes their businesses tick as they talk to kbbreview editor Rebecca Nottingham.

And, important caveat as always, just because they're here doesn't mean they've won!

A massive thank you as always to our awards Podcast Partner for 2023, Sonas Bathrooms. Their very generous support is making this special series happen. If you're unfamiliar with them, they're a very well established and successful supplier in their native Ireland and they've just launched over here in the UK. Definitely one to watch so thank you again to them and you can find out all about them at sonasbathrooms.co.uk

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast where this is the second of our special episodes to mark International Women’s Day.

Your host is kbbreview editor Rebecca Nottingham and the first episode from last week looked at the supply side of the industry, so go back and check that out if you haven’t heard it yet.

Today we’re heading to the sharp end where the industry meets the consumer – the retail showroom. A recent survey showed that it’s women who usually make the main purchasing decisions so does it help if it’s a woman making the sale?  

We’re very lucky to be talking about all this and more to two leading retailers who also happen to be two leading women in the sector – Tina Riley of Modern Homes in Leamington and Diane Berry of Diane Berry Kitchens in Manchester.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast with your host Andy Davies, this is episode four of season three.

The long term issue of sustainability is a much harder problem to tackle even than a pandemic but one retailer is doing what it can to make sure everything it does has as little environmental impact as possible - and its proving very appealing to clients too. 

We meet Rob Cole from Sheffield Sustainable Kitchens to find out just how he’s built a very successful business out of his own personal passion for the environment.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

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Welcome to another special bonus episode of The kbbreview Podcast all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2021.

We're carrying on our climb into the minds of our judges to draw out the hints, tips and advice for anyone putting entries together.

What jumps out at them when they look through all the entries? What are the details that appeal most? 

And what makes a good entry into a winning entry?

In this episode we meet a judge from our design categories in the shape of Ros Wilson - a highly accomplished interior designer with an eponymous practice in London, and herself a double kbbreview design award winner.

And don’t forget to check out the previous awards episode where we meet one of our business judges Paul Crossley.

We’re officially counting down to our closing date for entries which is Thursday, February the 18th.

Remember, it’s totally FREE to enter and we have categories for the very best in kitchen and bathroom retail – including new businesses or enterprises started in the last 12 months and one that couldn’t be more relevant at the moment, the Community Champion of the Year.

Then we have the design categories that reward the very best kitchen and bathroom projects.

You can find all the info you need about entering at www.kbbreview.com/awards

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast with your host Andy Davies, the managing editor of Taylist Media. 

This is episode five of season two and we have, believe it or not, a much bigger issue even than coronavirus to talk about and that’s sustainability and the environment.

In particular we’ve got a very special interview with someone who is really pioneering how suppliers and manufacturers can operate a sustainable business and still make a profit, regardless of your size.

That’s Richard Hagan of Crystal Doors and he is on a really insightful, honest and fascinating quest.

Find out more about Crystal Doors and their environmental journey here

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Today we’re taking a virtual trip over to Northern Ireland to get a view on the situation there and see how a couple of leading businesses are starting to plan for what happens on the other side of this thing.

First up, we’ve got Wayne Lyons from Soaks Bathrooms in Belfast, they were our bathroom retailer of the year at the 2019 kbbreview Retail and Design Awards and he’s got plenty of insight into setting a business up for growth and success.

And then we’ve got Steven Allaway the founder of Aqualla – they’re a brassware and showers supplier across the UK and Ireland and they’re based just outside Belfast. He’s a really interesting guy and he’s built that business to very impressive levels in less than ten years.

You can find host Andrew Davies on LinkedIn or email him at andrewdavies@taylistmedia.com.

You can find The Kitchen & Bathroom Design Podcast by searching ‘kitchen and bathroom design’ in your podcast app or by going to podcast.kbbreview.com

You can find Wayne Lyons on LinkedIn and find out about more about Soaks Bathrooms at http://soaksbathrooms.com/

You can find Steven Allaway on LinkedIn and find out more about Aqualla at https://aquallabrassware.com/

Wayne’s Deserted Kitchen Island Disc choice was I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas

https://youtu.be/uSD4vsh1zDA

Steven’s Deserted Kitchen Island Disc choice was Dancing In The Moonlight by Toploader

https://youtu.be/0yBnIUX0QAE

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This is episode 16 and we’re back after a short break.

Firstly we have Darren Walker from Laings in Inverurie in Scotland – a fantastic business that does kitchen s and bathrooms but actually won both the Bathrooms Retailer of the Year AND Bathroom Showroom of the Year at our awards back at the start of March.

So really interesting to hear his perspective on everything that is happening.

Then we’ve got David Knight, who is the MD of premium appliance brand VZug in the UK. They pulled out of the UK market a couple of years ago because of Brexit uncertainty, but now they’re coming back in the middle of the coronavirus situation – so we’ll hear just how they plan to do it.

Also as always, we want to know how you’re doing? Please get in touch with us if you’ve got any interesting points of views or stories from the KBB front line.

You can find host Andrew Davies on LinkedIn or email him at andrewdavies@taylistmedia.com.

You can find The Kitchen & Bathroom Design Podcast by searching ‘kitchen and bathroom design’ in your podcast app or by going to podcast.kbbreview.com

You can find Darren Walker on LinkedIn and find out about more about Laings at https://www.laings.com/

You can find David Knight on LinkedIn and find out more about VZug at https://www.vzug.com/gb/en/home

DESERTED KITCHEN ISLAND DISCS

Darren’s Deserted Kitchen Island Disc choice was Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen

https://youtu.be/HgzGwKwLmgM

David’s Deserted Kitchen Island Disc choice was True Faith by New Order

https://youtu.be/mfI1S0PKJR8

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies it's a brand new season - and would you believe we're at Season Ten.

In this episode, we're asking a very simple but very relevant question - how's business?

There's no doubt that the market is uncertain, unpredictable and unwilling to play nicely so that very straightforward question has lots of different possible answers depending on where you sit.

So Andy has been at the KBSA annual conference at The Belfry to meet up with loads of top independent kbb retailers, many of them friends of the show, to get some thoughts on how the market is behaving and to aks them 'how's business?'

Remember that entries are currently open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024. We have categories for designers, retailers, showrooms, installers and suppliers and it's totally free to enter. Entries close on November the 16th so to find out everything you need to know go to kbbreview.com/awards.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast where your host is, as always, Andy Davies,

Today's episode is a really, really interesting discussion between some top retailers recorded at the recent KBSA Conference. It was billed as The Big Debate and it did cover several topics but here we're going to concentrate on two:

Firstly, is the inclusive/multi-generational market viable for independent kbb retailers? Should there be more dedicated displays in showrooms? What existing products work well and what's missing? (Hint: big buttons back on appliances...)

Then we switch to a fiery debate about apprenticeships and whether, as far as independent retailers are concerned, they're worth the cost and the administrative hassle. Why not just employ someone and train them up yourself?

It's all really good stuff so don't miss it!

And don't forget that entries are open now for our kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024. It's totally FREE to enter and we have categories for retailers, showrooms, designers, installers and suppliers. Simply go to kbbreview.com/awards for all the details and the closing date is Thursday, November 16!

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies as always.

This week we're looking at something really interesting that's been around for quite a long time but hasn't really managed to get much traction with retailers - and that's the Water Label.

In a nutshell, it's the water efficiency equivalent of the energy ratings label that all appliances have to display. It's a scheme that's been developed by bathroom manufacturers under the auspices of a body called the Unified Water Label Association lead by today's guest - Yvonne Orgill.

So why is the water label something that showroom retailers need to be much more aware of?

Well, imagine a scenario where every tap, shower, WC, dishwasher and anything else in your showroom that uses water has to - by law - have a water efficiency label hanging off it. What will that mean for your beautiful displays, your sales story and your own ability to explain it knowledgeably to every customer.

Especially as, unlike the energy label on appliances, the water efficiency of a tap or a shower is as much influenced by the user's habits as anything else.

The Unified Water Label, developed in the UK, has been accepted across Europe as the industry standard, however a few weeks ago the UK Government announced that it was going to develop a totally separate water label from scratch - essentially rejecting the existing scheme.

And the new label, when it arrives, will be mandatory in your showroom.

So, Andy met up with Unified Water Label Association managing director Yvonne Orgill at a recent event and talked it all through.

Don't forget the entries are now open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024. It's totally FREE to enter and the closing date is November 16th.

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Welcome to another special BONUS episode of The kbbreview Podcast all about The kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024.

We're running this special series between now and the big awards event in March and it's all courtesy of our 2024 Awards Podcast Partner - Sonas Bathrooms.

In this episode we'll be meeting two of our big winners from the 2023 awards - held back in April in the great city of Cardiff. We have Joanna Geddes from our Kitchen Retailer Of The Year Kitchens by JS Geddes in Kilmarnock, and we have Shane Fraser from our Bathroom Showroom Of The Year winner Stone & Chrome in Surrey.

We'll be finding out more about them and asking why they enter awards and how it can benefit their business, and getting their tips for doing great entries.

Remember, entries close on November 16th so you can find out all you need to know at kbbreview.com/awards or this podcast episode

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Welcome to the kbbreview podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is episode four of season five.

So how's business with you at the moment?

That's a hard question to answer isn't it? There are so many variables and uncertainties that being definitive and forecasting even a short way into the future is really, really tricky.

A couple of episodes ago, we were at the KBSA Conference asking retailers there that very question - here's the link to that one if you haven't heard it

Now it's the turn of bathrooms as we also recently went to the Bathroom Manufacturers Association conference at Carden Park near Crewe.

So we asked that very simple question to some leading suppliers - how's business?

One of the biggest indicators of the current health of the market is how robust the supply chain is - through 2020 to 2022 it was, according to a straw poll of the conference audience, everything from shambolic to terrible. There's no question it was one of the issues that defined the covid period so we've also got some highlights from that, including some really insightful retailer views from Ripples managing director Paul Crow.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is episode five of season ten.

And today's episode is all about choice - To be or not to be? Should I stay or should I go? The hokey cokey...

Deciding between one thing and another is hard enough but when customers are buying a new kitchen or bathroom they have thousands of possible options in front of them.

But can you have too much choice?

Are there just too many products on the market? Just how many sinks or basins, taps or showers, ovens or hobs do you really need to go through? And are most of them so similar that it's really hard to find the differences and what their actual value to the customer is?

And does the level of choice ultimately leave the customer frustrated and just wanting something straightforward and simple?

We're talking it all through with a couple of great retailers - Dawn Theobald-Park from Dovetail Kitchens in West Sussex and Andy Stockwell from Gardiner Haskins in Bristol

We'd love to know what you think? Drop Andy a line at andrewdavies@taylistmedia.com

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, this is Episode Six of Season Ten and this week we've got a very special guest - Johnny Grey.

Johnny is, as you probably know, one of the most high profile designers in the kitchen arena and has been for decades. His boundless enthusiasm for design and the role the kitchen has in our lives, in society and in history has led him to not only continue his own eponymous practice, but also push forward formal education and debate about the subject as a whole.

Now he's taking the concept that kickstarted his career 40 years ago and updating it for a brand new market - the Unfitted Kitchen.

For the first time he is producing a range of kitchen furniture that showrooms can display and designers can specify - and it's all freestanding. It's a really interesting concept and if you go along to this episode's page at this link kbbreview.com/podcast you'll see a gallery of images of some of the items in question.

Host Andy Davies went along to his home in Hampshire to find out more and, as always with, Johnny, it's a pretty freewheeling conversation about his inspirations, his history, his design philosophies and, of course, the new Unfitted Kitchen concept.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Episode Seven of Season Ten,

And this week we're talking all the communication retailers get from their suppliers.

Now clearly this was a massive issue during Covid and the supply problems that accompanied the huge boom in business.

But how has it changed, has it got better or worse since, and what exactly is 'good' communication anyway? 

And how does the traditional role of the rep fit into all this - what exactly do retailers want from those hard-working men and women who are the face of the brand for them?

We've got two great retailers who are also friends of the show - we have Nathan Damarell from KF Kitchens in Plymouth and Phil Beechinor from Alexanders in Worthing.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast and this first episode of our Insight 2024 series of conversations with industry leaders.

At a time when the economic outlook is uncertain at best, what lessons can we learn from 2023 and what are the educated guess about what may happen in 2024. Where are the opportunities? Where are the pitfalls? And where will we be in a year time?

We're starting with a big name from a big brand and that's Simeon Gabriel, the managing director of Hettich UK.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast and this another episode of our Insight 2024 series of conversations with industry leaders.

At a time when the economic outlook is uncertain at best, what lessons can we learn from 2023 and what are the educated guesses about what may happen in 2024. Where are the opportunities? Where are the pitfalls? And where will we be in a years time?

In this episode we're talking to Alex Ainge from Cyncly - a company that has had a very eventful 2023 after the mergers of Compusoft and Virtual Worlds so we'll be asking him about, among other things, where technology will go in 2024.

You can also hear the other excellent podcast episodes we have done with Cyncly this year with the links below

The customer journey with Cyncly – part one

The customer journey with Cyncly – part two

The Cyncly story

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast and this another episode of our Insight 2024 series of conversations with industry leaders.

At a time when the economic outlook is uncertain at best, what lessons can we learn from 2023 and what are the educated guesses about what may happen in 2024. Where are the opportunities? Where are the pitfalls? And where will we be in a years time?

In this episode we're talking to a hugely experienced guy who knows the kitchen sector inside out and that Dave Mayer, the commercial director of Reginox. He's seen it all come and go over the years so his view of 2024 will be fascinating to hear…

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast and this the final episode of our Insight 2024 series of conversations with industry leaders.

At a time when the economic outlook is uncertain at best, what lessons can we learn from 2023 and what are the educated guesses about what may happen in 2024. Where are the opportunities? Where are the pitfalls? And where will we be in a year's time?

In this episode we're talking to Steve Breen, the managing director of VitrA UK - a big bathroom brand of course that he took over just over a year ago.

So we went to see him at his office to see how his first full year been and how he sees 2024 playing out.

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Welcome to another very special bonus episode of The kbbreview Podcast all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024!

Yes, the entries are closed and the first stage of judging is complete and that means the reveal of the shortlist for 2024 is imminent.

In fact, this episode is coming out on Monday, December the 11th as a little precursor for the big show on Thursday - that's December 14th.

That episode will be the first unveiling of the full rundown of finalists for the 2024 awards.That list won't be available anywhere else until the following week so if you want to know if you're on it, or you just want to know who the big names are then look out in the podcast feed.

You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube - just search 'kbbreview'...all one word. Or you'll be able to listen through kbbreview.com

But that's not all, not only is Thursday's episode the big shortlist reveal, it's also the last show of the year AND it's episode 200 of The kbbreview Podcast - it's almost as if we've planned it this way.

Today though, our amuse bouche of awards goodness is a reality interesting chat with one of last year's winners - Jamie Harding from the New Kitchen Retailer of the Year - Et Lorem in Reading - and one of our bathroom business judges - Sofia Charalambous from Origins Living. 

There's some great stuff in here about what it's like being a judge as well as what it's like being judged!

So kbbreview's George Dean meets them both,

Huge thanks as always to our 2024 Awards Podcast Partner Sonas Bathrooms, these special episodes wouldn't be possible without them! To find out more about them go to sonasbathooms.co.uk

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is a very, VERY special episode.

First of all, believe it or not, this is Episode 200 of the show. That's right, 200 episodes of The kbbreview Podcast dedicated to all things independent kitchen and bathroom retail. 

Thank you so much to everyone who's tuned in, thank you to all the supporters and guests we've had along the way and rest assured we're already planning the next 200.

Not literally, we clearly make it up as we go along much more than that. 

Anyway, what better way is there to mark this milestone than by revealing the shortlist for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024.

That's right, over the next half an hour we'll be telling who the 2024 finalists are for the biggest awards in the kitchen and bathroom retail sector - and to keep the milestones coming, in 2024 we're celebrating our 30th birthday so who's in the running to pick up one of our legendary trophies in this anniversary year?

Huge thanks to our 2024 Awards Podcast Partner Sonas Bathrooms - you can find out all about them at sonasbathrooms.co.uk.

And you can book your tickets for the big awards event in March at kbbreview.com/awards

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and the start of a brand new season - Season 11 to be exact - and this is going to be a great one because we're building up to kbb Birmingham and the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024.

And we're kicking it all off with a two-parter looking at the results of the kbbreview Retailer Survey 2024. It's our biggest ever survey of independent kitchen and bathroom retailers looking at some of the key questions:

• Just what is the average project cost of a kitchen and bathroom?
• What do they really think about the overall market? 
• What challenges are they dealing with? 
• How do they rate their suppliers? 
• What’s happening with footfall, conversion rates and order value? 
• What confidence do they have for the potentially difficult times ahead?

We teamed up with the boffins at Eureka! Research to survey over 500 retailers and in this and next week's episodes we'll be discussing some of the results with a very special panel. We have

Liz Pantling-Jones from Lima Kitchens in Milton Keynes

Kenny Luck from Luck & Fuller in Billericay

Alex Jenman from Gainsborough Kitchens in Gainsborough Lincolnshire

and

Simeon Gabriel, the managing director of Hettich UK

So it's Part One this week and Part Two next week.

Our special survey pair of episodes are brought to you with the support of our 2024 kbbreview Research Partner Hettich. We couldn't have done this amazing survey without them so huge thanks to them. You can find out all about them at hettich.com.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Part Two of our look at the results of The kbbreview Retailer Survey 2024.

It's our biggest ever survey of independent kitchen and bathroom retailers and this week we're be looking at some of the biggest challenges retailers face - like the wider economy, finding good fitters and why consumer are taking so long to make decisions

And we'll also be looking at what retailers think of their suppliers - and what suppliers think of retailers...

We teamed up with the boffins at Eureka! Research to survey over 500 retailers and in this and last week's episodes we're discussing some of the results with a very special panel. We have...

Liz Pantling-Jones from Lima Kitchens in Milton Keynes

Kenny Luck from Luck & Fuller in Billericay

Alex Jenman from Gainsborough Kitchens in Gainsborough Lincolnshire

and

Simeon Gabriel, the managing director of Hettich UK

And, in case you missed it, here's the link to Part One

Our special survey pair of episodes are brought to you with the support of our 2024 kbbreview Research Partner Hettich. We couldn't have done this amazing survey without them so huge thanks to them. You can find out all about them at hettich.com.

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This is a very special episode of The kbbreview Podcast.

As I'm sure you know kbb Birmingham is fast approaching us at the start of March - it's the biggest UK show dedicated to all things kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms so today we're chatting to the exhibition's sales director Jon Johnston - he'll be telling us why the show has never been more relevant and why it's a must-visit experience for anyone in this sector.

kbb Birmingham 2024 is Europe's prime hub for the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom industries so get ready for the ultimate showcase of innovation! 

Held at the NEC Birmingham from March 3rd to 6th, the exhibition features 250+ top European brands across 26 diverse categories, unveiling cutting-edge designs and the latest innovations.

With over 15,000 decision-makers attending from residential, design, retail, and contract sectors, it's the prime spot for networking, sourcing and business growth.

Expect renowned brands like Caple, Franke, VitrA, BORA and many more to showcase everything from furniture to components, giving you a glimpse of the future in KBB.

Meet key clients, engage with trendsetters, and explore the newest launches. Dive into live demonstrations and gain valuable insights that'll drive your business forward at kbb Birmingham 2024

And it's not just about innovation; it's about sustainability too! The kbb Birmingham Better Stands initiative is reducing waste and promoting eco-friendly practices among exhibitors and the industry.

Also join your peers in celebrating a decade of excellence at the 2024 kbb Innovation Awards, in partnership with Blum, recognising the groundbreaking solutions in the KBB industry shaping the future.

So we're sure you'l want to be part of this revolutionary event you can register for your free visitor pass now at kbb.co.uk. 

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast and this very special bonus episode. It's a great one for anyone interested in the latest trends and products in kitchen, bedroom and bathroom design as we'll be talking to Aimee Fletcher - the  Decor and Product Manager for Egger.

We're going to find out all about her new ranges, how she gets her inspiration and ideas and how that translates into products you designers can specify in your projects. It's really interesting stuff so essential for designers across the sector.

Yes, this special episode is brought to you with our friends at EGGER UK. They are, of course, a global manufacturer of wood-based materials and products used across the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom sector. Their new Decorative Collection 24+ is available now and you can hear all about it in this podcast and find out more at egger.com

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Welcome to another very special episode of The kbbreview Podcast all about The kbbreview Retail & Design Award 2024! 

Your host is Andy Davies and give or take a day or so we are just three weeks away from the big ceremony on Monday, March the 4th in Birmingham. We're as excited as we are absolutely terrified as we'll be welcoming about 900 of the industry's top designers, retailers, suppliers, opinion-formers and influencers for the biggest night of the year.

All the judging complete and we now have the full list of winners in front of me and I promise it's going to be a good one.

In this awards episode we're going to take another look into the minds of our design judges to see what they thought of this year's entries, what themes they spotted and how much they get out of the prices themselves.

The process itself is really important and it works like this - designers submit their written entries and the judges go through every single and score them independently against the list of criteria. I add up all the scores and the top four in each category become the shortlist.

But it doesn't stop there and that's the big difference of our awards - we have two further judging sessions. We have two panels - one for kitchen and one for bathroom - and we put them in a room and all the shortlisted finalists then present their projects to them in person via Zoom. This is where the judges get to quiz and question the designer on all the details.

So Andy ran the bathroom panel at the Roca Gallery in Chelsea Harbour and his esteemed colleague and kbbreview editor Rebecca Nottingham ran the kitchen panel at Halcyon Interiors in Wigmore Street.

Once all the presentations were over we grabbed some of the judges for a post-match chat...

These special bonus awards episodes of The kbbreview Podcast are brought to you with the help of our friends Sonas Bathrooms - our 2024 Awards Podcast Partner.

They're a hugely successful company over in Ireland andnow they're here in the UK with their stylish and high-quality range of products. You can find out more about becoming a Sonas Bathroom retailer by going to sonasbathrooms.com or you can go and see them in person at kbb Birmingham where they will be a must-visit exhibitor. You can find them on stand F30 and say hello from me.

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Welcome to The kbbreview podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Episode Three of Season 11 and today we're revisiting one of the biggest topics in this industry and that's installation and apprenticeships.

It's a complicated subject and that can often switch people off but, as we'll hear today, the ageing workforce could see half of installers retiring in the next five years AND, in 2023, less than 100 direct kbb installation apprentices were taken on.

That maths is not difficult to understand even for us.

The annual conference for the British Institute of KBB Installation - or BiKBBI - was held a couple of weeks ago in London. We've featured this event on this podcast before but it's always a rel snapshot of where the debate has moved - if at all - and what activity is being done to address it.

So today we'll hear a little bit from BiKBBI CEO Damian Walters for his assessment and then we're going to dip into a panel discussion about apprentices which has some real nuggets in there for all kbb retailers.

This very special episode is brought to you with the support of our good friends at kbb Birmingham 2024, Europe's prime hub for the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom industries.

So get ready for the ultimate showcase of innovation! 

Held at the NEC Birmingham from March 3rd to 6th, this exhibition features 250+ top European brands across 26 diverse categories, unveiling cutting-edge designs and the latest innovations.

With over 15,000 decision-makers attending from residential, design, retail, and contract sectors, it's the prime spot for networking, sourcing and business growth.

 Expect renowned brands like Caple, Franke, VitrA, BORA and many more to showcase everything from furniture to components, giving you a glimpse of the future in KBB.

Meet key clients, engage with trendsetters, and explore the newest launches. Dive into live demonstrations and gain valuable insights that'll drive your business forward at kbb Birmingham 2024

You can register for your free visitor pass now at kbb.co.uk.

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Welcome to another special bonus episode of The kbreview Podcast and today we're getting a bit of a sneak preview of one of the most high-profile exhibitors at kbb Birmingham in a couple of weeks time.

And that's Cyncly.

Now Cyncly may be a new name to the kbb Birmingham exhibition halls but the latest versions of the products it is showing have been essential tools for kitchen and bathroom retailers and designers for a reassuringly long time.

Cyncly is now the home of brands such as Winner Flex, Virtual Worlds, EQ Flex and Spaces Flex, following a recent series of acquisitions and mergers. That means that, for the thousands of designers and retailers that interact with them every day, any new developments,interfaces or add-ons are eagerly awaited.

For an inside look at how Cyncly is approaching the event, we caught up with sales director Dean Smith and director for enterprise accounts Ben Roberts…

But, before we meet them, make a note - Cyncly will be on Stand L70 at kbb Birmingham from March 3-6 - for more information go to cyncly.com.

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Welcome to another special episode of The kbbreview Podcast all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024.

We're counting down to the big event itself on Monday, March the 4th with these special shows and after last week's conversation with some of our design category judges, today we're talking to a couple of our business category judges. 

What makes them tick, what are they looking for, why is it so important to visit the finalists in person and what do they get out of the experience?

We have a couple of very experienced and successful retailers in the shape of Darren Taylor from Searle and Taylor and Mike Lloyd from Inspired Bathrooms & Kitchens.

These special bonus awards episodes of The kbbreview Podcast are brought to you with the help of our friends Sonas Bathrooms - our 2024 Awards Podcast Partner.

They're a hugely successful company in Ireland and now they're here in the UK with their stylish and high-quality range of products. You can find out more about becoming a Sonas Bathroom retailer by going to sonasbathrooms.co.uk or you can go and see them in person at kbb Birmingham on stand F30.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and we're keeping the pre-KBB Show podcast bonanza coming with this - the100% official Episode Four of Season Eleven.

And we've got a great guest on today talking about a subject that is so important, so relevant and so interesting that we really should discuss it more - and that's how retailers can be more sustainable.

That's both in the way they run their business AND how they can make sustainability a genuine and effective part of their sales story rather than something to sidestep and not bring up if the client doesn't. Just by learning about the details of your suppliers and products could you weave it into your narrative and boost the on thing that's more valuable to you than anything - your reputation.

So I'll be talking to Steve Lister, a consultant, advocate and all round expert on sustainable retail for both retailers and their suppliers and it's sooo interesting. You can find out all about him at stevelister.com

But first…

This very special episode is brought to you with the support of our good friends at kbb Birmingham 2024, Europe's prime hub for the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom industries.

So get ready for the ultimate showcase of innovation! 

Held at the NEC Birmingham from March 3rd to 6th, this exhibition features 250+ top European brands across 26 diverse categories, unveiling cutting-edge designs and the latest innovations.

With over 15,000 decision-makers attending from residential, design, retail, and contract sectors, it's the prime spot for networking, sourcing and business growth. Expect renowned brands like Caple, Franke, VitrA, BORA and many more to showcase everything from furniture to components, giving you a glimpse of the future in KBB.

Meet key clients, engage with trendsetters, and explore the newest launches. Dive into live demonstrations and gain valuable insights that'll drive your business forward at kbb Birmingham 2024

You can register for your free visitor pass now at kbb.co.uk. 

See you there!

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and another very special bonus episode as we're talking to Stephen Ewer, the CEO of Bathroom Brands.

Always great to talk to him and we'll be getting his view on the health of the market, the biggest factors affecting its growth and, more specifically, what plans and strategies Bathrooms Brands to get the most out of 2024.

It's a proper insight into the  mind of one of the UK sector's leading figures, so don't miss it!

Yes, this episode is brought to you by our good friends at Bathroom Brands. They are, of course, a hugely successful and well-known designer, importer and supplier of bathroom and sanitary ware products across its suite of established brands - Crosswater, Burlington, Clearwater and Britton. You can find out all about them at bathroombrands.com.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and another of our special bonus episodes all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024.

And this is the last one of these we'll be doing before the event itself. This is coming out on Wednesday, February 28 which the means the awards is on Monday. 

All very exciting indeed and what better way to round off this countdown to the ceremony than by talking to two of our finalists.

From our design shortlist we have Justine Bullock from The Tap End near Cardiff and from the retail shortlist we have Steph Warner from Pier1 Bathrooms in Hove.

They're both deserving finalists of course, but they share another really interesting characteristic in that both their retail businesses are all-female teams - so we'll be hearing from them about why they enter awards, what it means to find out you're a finalist AND we'll be asking them for their assessment of the market right now.

These special bonus awards episodes of The kbbreview Podcast are brought to you with the help of our friends Sonas Bathrooms - our 2024 Awards Podcast Partner.

They're a hugely successful company in Ireland and now they're here in the UK with their stylish and high-quality range of products. You can find out more about becoming a Sonas Bathroom retailer by going to sonasbathrooms.co.uk or, seeing as there's only a few days until it starts, you can also go and see them in person at kbb Birmingham on stand F30.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies, and this is Episode 5 of Season 11. 

This is a great episdoe as we've got a topic today that will dazzle all your senses.

That's because it's all about, well, dazzling all the senses.

It's obvious that your showroom needs to look great, but do you ever think about how it smells, how it sounds or how it feels? Does your showroom engage all of your customer's senses? 

There is a huge amount of psychological research confirming that appealing to all the senses can make customers more inclined to purchase in retail environments. Using scent, music, tactile displays and lighting can create a much more immersive and engaging experience.

We love all this kind of stuff so we're so pleased that our guest today is Charles Spence - he is a professor of experimental psychology at the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at Oxford University.

And if you find all this as intersting as we do, check out Charles' book Sensehacking: How to Use the Power of Your Senses for Happier, Healthier Living

This very special episode is brought to you with the support of our good friends at kbb Birmingham 2024, Europe's prime hub for the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom industries.

The ultimate showcase of innovation is now only days away - it starts on Sunday, March the 3rd at the NEC Birmingham and runs to Wednesday the 6th

Meet key clients, engage with trendsetters, explore the newest launches and dive into live demonstrations - you'll gain valuable insights that'll drive your business forward at kbb Birmingham 2024.

You can register for your free visitor pass now at kbb.co.uk. See you there!

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Welcome to the second of your special kbbreview Podcast episodes direct from kbb Birmingham 2024

It's been another really busy show today, with lots of very interesting conversations on and off the record , including some fantastic gossip which we couldn't possible repeat and some genuinely honest assessments about the health of the market. 

Today we've got a couple of very interesting interviews that host Andy Davies did on the hoof here at the NEC.

First up, we're talking changes to the laws surrounding the recycling of appliances - what it means for suppliers AND what it mean for retailers who sell them and take the old ones away. It's a very important subject that could directly effect you so we're meeing Anthony Sant, the joint MD of Swift Electrical.

Then we have a really interesting discussion with Walter Peteri, Quooker's Global Director and the son of founder Henri Peteri. Quooker is such an interesting story not just in the product but also the marketing and Walter has some very insightful views on innovation within the kitchen industry.

Don't miss it!

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, this is another of our special episodes from kbb Birmingham, although to be more precise this one is coming from the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024. 

Host Andy Davies found a relatively quiet spot to talk to you but we had around 900 people filling the room celebrating the very best of the industry so it was a big noisy crowd and an amazing atmosphere.

Our host was Stephen Mulhern and he had the whole room in the palm of his hand but we managed to grab our winners as they came off stage.

As always, these special awards episodes are brought to you with the support of our 2024 Podcast Partner Sonas Bathrooms - they're all here tonight so hello to you all again if you're listening and thank you for all your support this year. These episodes really give us the chance to explain what the awards are all about it, give a little peak behind the curtain AND let every meet some of the finalists and judges.

And that's really important as, even though we're alwaus have a big party here we really work hard to make sure these are awards worth winning.

You can find out more about Sonas Bathrooms at sonasbathrooms.co.uk and you can also see the full list of winners at our website kbbreview.com/awards as well as a full gallery of pictures from the night which is, let's be honest, what everyone wants to see. 

We open entries for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2025 in the Autumn so watch out for that...

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Welcome to another bonus episode of The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and at the kbb show last week he caught up with Richard Sloan, the CEO of Sonas Bathrooms. 

It was their time exhibiting at the show AND, of course, they were also our Podcast Partner for the 20204 kbbreview Retail & Design Awards.

So that's two greatest reasons to talk to Richard about the health of the market, the relationship between suppliers and retailers and how they're doing exhibiting for the first time. 

If you want more info on Sonas Bathrooms then you can find out everything you need to know at sonasbathrooms.co.uk and we highly recommend checking out all the special 2024 awards podcast episodes here.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this week we're looking at the communication between suppliers and their retailers.

Since Covid there has been massive shift in how this is done, the traditional rep-on-the-road model has morphed into a hybrid of some area sales managers and a lot more emails, portals, Zoom, Teams, webinars and the like.

From the suppliers point of view it's not hard to see why. Reps are expensive and can only cover so much, but technology allows direct communication and exchange of important updates and information easily. 

For the retailers, however, they like face-to-face, it's their bread and butter after all, plus they have potentially dozens of suppliers and that means dozens of portals, emails, updates and Zoom calls to get through - and the onus is on them to do it.

So it's time consuming AND the volume of information coming this way means that they may miss important updates such as price changes or stock availability.

Andy caught up with a few key suppliers to ask them what they think. Is there still a role for the rep on the road, and how do you get important messages across when the inbox is so noisy…

But do retailers agree? We ask them too....

What do you think? Email Andy at andrewdavies@taylistmedia.com or find him on LinkedIn here

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this may be the last episode of Season 11 but we've got a couple of very interesting bits for you

First up we're talk about manifestos - we all know there's going to be a General Election this year so if you were running for Prime Minister, what would be in YOURS to help kbb businesses?

While we were at the KBB show we took the opportunity to ask this very simple question to some leading industry figures.

And then we go from Prime Minister to prime time TV. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen made an appearance at the KBB show supporting Caple so kbbreview editor Rebecca Nottingham caught up with him to hear his views on kitchen and bathroom design. Warning, this next interview contains flamboyance...

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Today we're looking at that tricky yet often desirable symbol of growth for an independent kbb retailer and that's …..the second showroom.

The vast majority of kbb independents operate out of one showroom, but many often seriously think about another. It's an obvious way to expand the business but there are plenty of cons to go with the long list of pros.

Finding the right location, spreading yourself too thin, finding people you trust to run it and starting to build a whole new customer base in a different area.

So we're going to talk it all through with a couple of top retailers and friends of the show - Mark Butler from Butler Interiors and Liz Pantling-Jones of Lima Kitchens. Mark took the plunge on a second showroom a few years ago and Liz is seriously considering that move right now.

Host Andy Davies met up with them a few weeks ago and this is a really interesting conversation that gets right to the heart of finding that showroom as well as weighing up all the pros and cons...

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This is Part One of a two-parter that will conclude next week where we talk to winners from the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024 to get under their skin, hear their stories and see what makes their businesses successful.

Next week, we'll be meeting our Kitchen Retailer of the Year - Laings in Inverurie - and our Bathroom Retailer of the Year - Pier1 Bathroom in Hove. Two very different businesses with two very interesting perspectives on the market.

But to kick it off today we've got an interview that's so interesting, so insightful and actually just gives you a bit of a warm feeling inside. 

As many of you will know, at our awards we give out our Special Achievement trophy. It goes to those individuals who have contributed something very special to their business and the industry as a whole and this year it went to… Paul Rowland from CP Hart.

CP Hart is, of course, the premium bathroom retailer that now has 15 showrooms and a £50m turnover. When Paul took it over 20 years ago it was really struggling and he has lead the team that has made it what it is today. He is the retailer's retailer.

At the opposite end of the career path, we also gave out the Rising Star of the Year trophy - this goes to individuals under the age of 30 who are making a real impact in their retail business and the 2024 winner was Angelika Kotarska who started her own bathroom retail business - Angelic Bathrooms in Northampton in 2022, aged just 22.

So, you can see where this is going can't you…we thought it would be a good idea to get them both together and see what lessons they can learn from each other and it's fascinating stuff.

Finding good people, managing through financial crises, the relationship with suppliers, finding customers, marketing - it's all in here and more besides from when Angelika and host Andy Davies went down to the flagship CP Hart showroom in Waterloo to see Paul.

Today's episode is brought to you with the support of our very good friends at Lawcris. They lead the field in wood based panel products, laminates and edgings with big brands such as Emporio Skin, Kronospan and many more. With over 40 vehicles in their fleet, they can provide next day delivery on all stocked products. You can find out all about them at lawcris.co.uk

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This week's episode is all about that staple fixture of showrooms and their relationship with the brands they sell - brochures.

• What do retailers and designers actually use them for?
• What do they say about the brand?
• Do suppliers assume they get given out to every potential customer who comes through the door?
• Are too many simply thrown away and wasted?
• Should they have prices in them or not?

Such simple things touch on so many different aspects of the day-to-day life of a retailer so we're talking it all through with retailers Paul Crow, the MD of Ripples, and Adam Wollerton from Bathroom + Kitchen Eleven in Surrey AND in the supplier's corner Sofia Charalambous from Origins Living.

It's fascinating stuff so let me know what you think, here's my email andrewdavies@taylistmedia.com

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this week it's Part Two of our How to be a Successful Retailer two-parter.

Andy has been catching up with winners from this year's kbbreview Retail & Design Awards to pick their brains about running successful and award-winning businesses.

Last week was a fascinating conversation between our Special Achievement Award recipient Paul Rowland from CP Hart and our Rising Star of the Year winner Angelika Kotarska from Angelic Bathrooms in Northampton - highly recommend going back to that one if you haven't heard it.

This week, well this is another great one, as we get to hear from our two Retailers Of The Year - Darren Walker from Laings in Inverurie, our Kitchen Retailer of the Year 2024 and Steph Warner from Pier1 Bathrooms in Hove - our Bathroom Retailer of the Year 2024.

These are two very successful and dynamic businesses with two completely different back stories - Laings first opened its doors in 1862, Pier1 in 2019. The Pier1 showroom is about 1,500sqft and Laings is more like 13,500sqft.

Laings employs about 90 people, Pier1….5

And, of course, they're about as far from each other geographically as it's possible to get while still being in the UK.

So two very different businesses, with two very different perspectives on what it takes to be the Retailer of the Year.

Today's episode is brought to you with the support of our very good friends at Lawcris. They lead the field in wood based panel products, laminates and edgings with big brands such as Emporio Skin, Kronospan and many more. With over 40 vehicles in their fleet, they can provide next day delivery on all stocked products. You can find out all about them at lawcris.co.uk

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Welcome to a very special bonus episode of the kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies, and today we're looking at one of the areas of kitchen design that doesn't get the recognition it deserves, and that's the panel finishes that make up the furniture.

When you actually think about it there's hundreds of colours, textures, grains and patterns all following, and often setting, the trends before they ever get near being made into furniture - and manufacturers are doing so at a speed that is mind boggling.

It's such an important part of the design journey that it definitely needs more attention so Andy is talking to Lauren Barker, the head of marketing and design for Lawcris.

Lawcris leads the field in wood based panel products, laminates and edgings with big brands such as Emporio Skin, Kronospan and many more. With over 40 vehicles in their fleet, they can provide next day delivery on all stocked products. You can find out all about them at lawcris.co.uk

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies as always and this is episode five of season 12.

Today we're looking at a subject that has been completely eye-opening for us It's an issue affecting installers and we confess we had no idea just how big a problem it is until we started looking into it.

And that is…tool theft.

It's about as base a problem as you can get, the tools of your trade, worth thousands of pounds in some cases, getting nicked from your van. 

The impact is obvious on your immediate ability to work, but the resultant cost of not just replacing the tools but also getting the van patched up and your rocketing insurance rates are just as bad.

And then, of course, there's permanent and very real anxiety that it might happen again every time you park up and that can have a significant effect on mental health. 

It really is that big a deal.

So we'll be hearing the personal stories of three installers who have shocking stories to tell about it happening to them, what the cost both financially and personally has been and what, if anything, can be done about it.

Today's episode is brought to you with the support of our very good friends at Lawcris. They lead the field in wood based panel products, laminates and edgings with big brands such as Emporio Skin, Kronospan and many more. With over 40 vehicles in their fleet, they can provide next day delivery on all stocked products. You can find out all about them at lawcris.co.uk.

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