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Carpet & Flooring Review Est 1948
461 April 2013
CFR Features Carpet | Laminate | Wood and parquet | Training | Interiors UK reviewPlus News | Store manager | Contract | Zone | Products | Domotex review part 2
www.carpetandflooringreview.net
CFR461_00.indd 1 05/04/2013 15:57
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Welcome to the April issue of Carpet & Flooring Review. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, delivered his Budget to Parliament on 20th March, which will undoubtedly have been met with mixed feelings from retailers.
A 1% cut on Corporation Tax to 20% in 2015 is certainly positive news, in addition to the scrapping of the fuel duty allowance. What is more, a new Employment Allowance – entitling businesses to £2000 a year towards their National Insurance Contributions bills – will mean that 450,000 small businesses will pay no jobs tax at all.
However, with these positive advances comes the sad fact that, despite the efforts of the British Retail Consortium and Retail Week’s Fair Rates for Retail campaign – which aims to draw attention to the escalating burden that business rates place on retailers – has been completely ignored by the Chancellor.
The campaign had petitioned for the Government to freeze business rates this year in order to aid retailers in investment and growth. The retail industry faces paying an additional £175m in business rates, now that the 2.6% increase has come into effect this month. Despite this setback, the campaign will continue in its mission. Turn to page 10 for a more detailed analysis of the Budget.
In keeping with the topic of retail, this month I interviewed Andy Laird, MD of trusted Sussex-based flooring retailer, Fludes Carpets. Here, Andy provides some insight into Fludes’ business philosophy, which is centred around providing the customer with the highest level of service and maintaining a sense of optimism. In addition, the numerous benefits of buying groups for flooring retailers, as well as the significance of The Carpet Foundation in giving independent carpet retailers a voice, are discussed. To find out more, read on to page 22.
Next month’s Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show – a major event in the industry calendar, exclusively open to retailers part of a flooring buying group – is previewed in this issue on page 12, with an in-depth look at what to expect from key exhibitors on the day.
Moreover, we review the recent Ecobuild exhibition held last month, which was focused on sustainable materials, development and technology for the built environment. For a glimpse at what was on display from main flooring industry exhibitors, turn to page 18.
I hope you enjoy the issue, and please be sure to get in touch with any interesting news and stories. As always, feel free to peruse CFR’s exciting website and give us your feedback!
Carpet & Flooring Review Est 1948
461 April 2013
CFR Features Carpet | Laminate | Wood and parquet | Training | Interiors UK reviewPlus News | Store manager | Contract | Zone | Products | Domotex review part 2
www.carpetandflooringreview.net
CFR461_00.indd 1 05/04/2013 14:02
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CFR461_00.indd 5 05/04/2013 15:57
28 Carpet and rugs
“Judging by the consuming behaviour of our customers, the trend for Best of British seems not to be ebbing away – in fact this buying pattern seems to be gaining momentum. Some of Oriental Carpets and Rugs’ biggest sellers are rugs which carry the Union Jack fl ag design, often in a variety of colours.
“Other manufacturers are also realising the magnitude of the current zeitgeist for all things British – more specifi cally, a type of old-school yet quintessentially British ‘mash up’ for the 21st century.
“In our recent photo shoots and adverts, OCR has purposely styled the sets with this design ethos in mind – a tongue-in-cheek nod to our countryside and urban roots. For example, we displayed our new Oxford striped rugs in a crisp, white modern room, styled with accessories such as antlers on the wall, a Piccadilly bus sign, and often a battered old Chesterfi eld to complete this oh-so British look.
“Part of the appeal for this aesthetic is a sense of nostalgia. Consumers are desperately clutching to their past in this chaotic post-modern world. By buying retro accessories, it gives a sense of belonging.
“OCR have been working hard to be more design-led and to listen to what pop culture today is saying. Retro, geometric prints are
being used in new ranges of rugs, and we are continuing to be in talks with young, up and coming artists who are now realising the winning, mutually benefi cial combination of their art being mass produced in order to raise their profi les.
“However, there is a danger of crossing over into gastro pub cliche territory. As with all trends that go from the depths of sub-culture and into the glossy realm of mainstream, it is possible to foray into formulaic interiors.
“Here, we believe that the way forward is to use British culture as a foundation on which to build – try mixing up English style with Persian prints for an ironic spin, or to use oriental rugs in cool, modern settings to create an edgy appeal.
“Take inspiration from social media and Pinterest – the world around you should give you inspiration. For an eclectic approach, take design tips from fashion, travel, your friends and all other aspects of your life. This is the real British approach to design – adapt, adopt and make it your own.”E [email protected] ocr-rugs.co.uk
Ruth Oxley, head of marketing and branding at Oriental Carpets and Rugs (OCR), explains the current consumer trend which honours British culture, and how the company has responded.
OCR celebrates the best of British
Heritage in green
Hong Kong in black and grey
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