DIY giants Wickes posts growth in first half but cautious of softening sales and worrying outlook July 26, 2022 Home improvement giant Wickes registered strong sales for the first half of 2022, but has reined in its expectations for the second half due to economic uncertainty. The Northampton-based company had sales growth of 5.5 per cent in the first six months of this year, with progress in its score revenue and ‘Do It For [...]
Have Brits fallen out of love with DIY? B&Q and rival Wickes eye lower profits after costs soar and demand dwindles March 20, 2023 B&Q owner Kingfisher and rival Wickes are set to reveal falls in profits over the past year as surging costs dampen the outlook for the home improvements market. Kingfisher, which runs B&Q and Screwfix, has previously indicated its sales and profits have weakened over the past year, as it also saw DIY demand from locked-down [...]
The Lord Napier & Star is the best – and only – pub in Hackney Wick November 16, 2021 Twenty years ago The Lord Napier – the last, boarded-up pub of E9’s scrappy backyard, wedged between the River Lee Navigation and the A12’s spaghetti junction – was bought with an eye firmly on the area’s encroaching realty rush. “S**THOUSE TO PENTHOUSE” became the most iconic bit of its fully graffitied exterior, as planning disputes [...]
Wickes lifts profit forecast to £83m beating analyst expectations December 3, 2021 Wickes has announced it expects fully year profits to reach £83m beating the upper range of analyst forecasts at just £75m.
Lloyds Bank picks Wicks to fuel capital’s recovery September 30, 2021 Interview with Lloyds Bank’s new regional director for London SME and mid-corporate. As the capital starts to emerge from the disruption caused by Covid-19, what kind of financial shape are its businesses in? “We’ve seen countless examples of firms showing incredible resilience and innovating in order to survive,” says Becci Wicks, in conversation with City [...]
Wickes revenue surges past £1.5bn as DIY chain acknowledges cost of living crunch March 25, 2022 Wickes has reported revenue has hit £1.53bn after rising 14 per cent last year. Like-for-like sales were up 12 per cent on 2020 and 18.6 per cent on 2019, as lockdown shoppers turned to DIY projects. David Wood, chief executive, said the company expected to continue outperforming the market. Wickes was “well-placed to capitalise on [...]
Wickes reports lacklustre sales as DIY projects fall from pandemic highs October 27, 2021 Supply store Wickes has seen like-for-like sales slide 1.6 per cent from a year ago in the third quarter to September 25, as fewer people turn their hand to home improvement projects after the end of lockdowns. The Watford-headquartered retailer said that its sales remained 16.3 per cent above 2019 levels, but it hadn’t sustained [...]
Wickes instates first-ever dividend following Travis Perkins demerger September 16, 2021 Revenue at Wickes has grown steadily on pre-pandemic levels, pushing the home improvement store chain to instate its first ever interim dividend. The Watford-headquartered group posted revenue growth of 22.4 per cent on 2019 levels, and 33.1 per cent on a like for like basis, in its interim results for the six months to 26 [...]
Nobody review – John Wick style comedy hits the target June 8, 2021 Movie fans love an unlikely action hero. It’s easy to forget that legends like Bruce Willis and Liam Neeson were better known for other genres before they started to take out bad guys, but even the most ardent Bob Odenkirk fan would admit seeing him in this type of movie is a surprise. In many [...]
Vanquish film review – a dreadful John Wick knock off May 26, 2021 There are certain stars that draw a reaction when they become involved in a project. Oscar winner Morgan Freeman is one of those names, with the Shawshank Redemption and Bruce Almighty star’s gravitas lending something to any film he appears in. Sadly, all the prestige in the world can’t save his latest action-thriller, Vanquish. Ruby [...]