Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is a very special bonus episode of the show where we'll be finding out all about our Adopted Retailer Partner Alku, the new range of kitchens from Getley.

In our usual episode that came out yesterday you will have heard our latest catch-up with our Adopter Retailers themselves so today is the perfect time to learn more about Alku.

Andy met up with marketing manager Dan Hughes recently and, in fact, their conversation is as much about independent retail in general as it is about Alku because it's brand designed purely with them in mind. So we really do recommend this one to anyone interested in the market as Dan really knows his stuff.

Everything you need to know about them, including how to become a dealer, is at alku.co.uk.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Episode 9 of Season 14.

And we've been really looking forward to this episode, as we're catching up with our Adopted Retailers. In the magazine every month, we've been following the fortunes of three kbb retailers with three very different backgrounds, experiences and plans for the future.

We last spoke to them here on the podcast back at the start of November - you can listen to that here - and six months later we're here to see how they're getting on.

So we have Amanda Raine from The Leamington Kitchen Company in Leamington Spa. She and her husband Tom opened their dream showroom a year or so ago after leaving corporate jobs in construction and marketing.

Then we have Joe Kardani from Point 5 Kitchens in London. They're a well-established retailer in Muswell Hill but they're opening a second showroom in nearby Belsize Park.

And last but by no means least is Olivia Weaver from Harrison James in Shropshire. Only in their mid-20s she and husband Harry, are just about to open their first showroom after expanding their installation business into retail.

So, kbbreview's George Dean caught up with them last week to see how they're all getting on.

All this is made possible by our Adopted Retailer Partner Alku, the exciting new range of Kitchen, Bedroom and Lifestyle furniture, created with the designer in mind. We're delighted to have them on board for this and you can actually find out more about them in a bonus episode coming out tomorrow where Andy talking to marketing director Dan Hughes.

In the meantime, everything you need to know about them, including how to become a dealer, is at alku.co.uk.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Episode Eight of Season 14.

We're heading into the long Easter weekend of course, which will be a nice break before the madness of next begins as we jet off to Blackpool for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards next Thursday.

And by 'jet off' I mean the train. You don't usually have to change at Preston if you're in a jet.

This episode is one of those where we pose one simple question to some retailers - how's business?

These are always some of our most listened to episodes, and it's not hard to see why, the kbb market is flat at best, no one knows when that will change and, oh yes, the rest of the world seems to have genuinely gone mad.

So, Andy's kbbreview colleague George Dean went off to the annual MHK Conference in Berlin a couple of weeks ago and managed to catch a few UK retailers.

What's fascinating about this one, as you'll hear, is that our retailers are answering that question really by talking about how they're changing, adapting, trying new things and being pretty proactive, rather than complaining about the state of the market.

It's actually great to hear and, to us anyway, that's a real sign that the independent market can do a lot to grab hold of the market and shake it, rather than waiting to be shook.

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

Today we're looking at life as an independent retailer - are rises in the costs of running your business such as national insurance and business rates simply pricing you out of the real market? What is the future of the High Street? How are consumers changing? What is the role of local and central government and - always one for the big questions - how come there are so many barbers?

We're talking to Andrew Goodacre, the CEO of the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA)about all these things and more and, trust me, he doesn't pull any punches.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, this is Episode Six of Season 14 and your host is managing editor Andy Davies.

Today we're looking at an area that gets to the heart of what good design is all about.

Understanding and interpreting the needs of those that are going to use the kitchen or bathroom every day is a vital part of any brief - and that includes not just factoring in extended family and friends but also future-proofing for the potential needs to come.

We've talked a lot about multi-generational design in the context of physicality before on the show, but today we're going to look at how usable kitchens and bathroom are vital for those with cognitive impairments too - in particular dementia.

Jo Jeyes is our guest today and she's a designer specialising in, amongst other things, dementia-friendly design so we're going to find out what that means, the role of good kbb design in maintaining independence and dignity, how to broach and discuss this with clients and, of course, lots of actual practical tips.

This is so interesting and really underpins the power of good design in making people's lives better.

A quick reminder that the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards are in the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom on Thursday, April 24 and we are officially 100% sold out. However, when you have that many people there is always a chance some cancellations do happen, so, we are running a waiting list. As soon as a ticket becomes available, it will be offered to whoever is next in line on that list. It's first come, first serve so go to kbbreview.com/awards and you'll find out how to get in the queue. It's always worth the call!

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Welcome to another very special episode of The kbbreview Podcast all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2025.

The event is now less than a month away!

On Thursday, April 24th hundreds of the industry's leading retailers, designers, suppliers, influencers and opinion-formers will arrive in Blackpool for the biggest evening of the year.

As the excitement builds, in this episode we're taking a look at the venue itself. The Blackpool Tower is one of the most iconic buildings in the UK and the Ballroom simply a spectacular example of ornate Victorian splendour.

So we're finding out more about this Grade One listed extravagant masterpiece from its Head of Operations Aaron Edgar.

And trust us, it's absolutely fascinating.

As always, huge thanks to our 2025 Awards Podcast Partner, Sonas Bathrooms, You can find out more about them at sonasbathrooms.co.uk.

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Episode 5 of Season 14 - which means we're officially halfway through the series.

This week we're delving into a subject that, slowly but surely, is becoming more common - freelance KBB designers.

They're not retailers in the classic definition of the word, they don't have showrooms, but they will design kitchens or bathrooms for their clients - and those clients could be consumers, developers, interior design, architects or, indeed, time-poor KBB retailers.

So why go freelance? How does it work? Who are the customers and where do they find them? How do relationships with suppliers work? And with so many KBB retailers wishing they could charge for designs, how do they sell the service?

This is a really insightful conversation with three top designers already doing it - Darren Morgan, Alina Tacutanu and Anna Rock and if you run a showroom, you really need to hear their views.

A quick reminder that the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards are in the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom on Thursday, April 24 and we are officially 100% sold out. However, there is always a chance that with that many people some cancellations do happen, so, we are running a waiting list. As soon as a ticket becomes available, it will be offered to whoever is next in line on that list. It's first come, first serve so go to kbbreview.com/awards and you'll find out who to get in the queue. It's always worth the call!

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Welcome to another special Rising Star episode of The kbbreview Podcast.

We’ve teamed up with Blum to find the upcoming stars of kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom retail and this is our eighth and final Rising Star for 2025 - Aidan Parish, a fitter at Lima Kitchens in Milton Keynes.

When Aidan joined the Lima Kitchens team around 18 months ago, it wasn’t just his technical skills that impressed design and marketing director Elizabeth Pantling–Jones. “When Aidan arrived, we could see his potential that extended beyond technical skills,” she says. “While his installation abilities needed refining, his natural aptitude for client relationships and business growth was evident from the start.”

Since then, Parish has continued to impress his colleagues with not only his technical skills and eagerness to improve, but his aptitude and understanding of how craftsmanship and business growth intertwine.

Find out more about each of our Rising Star finalists at kbbreview.com/risingstar. The winner will be crowned at the glittering awards ceremony at Blackpool’s iconic Tower Ballroom on April 24.

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