The kbbreview Podcast

Big promises, a new boss and a structural shake-up at the KBSA.

New managing director Luke Wedgbury joins Andy Davies to set out his manifesto for change – and explains why he and the board want to give independent retailers compelling new reasons to join while potentially making it harder to get in.

As the owner of Coalville Kitchens in Leicestershire, Wedgbury knows that a badge on the showroom door means very little if membership doesn’t help you run a better business. Recorded at The Belfry following his first speech in the role, this conversation explores how he intends to turn ambition into action.

With trading tough and good staff hard to find, what can the association actually do to help? Can it create a culture where retailers talk openly about their problems? And how does it convince consumers that choosing a KBSA member matters?

Plus, entries are open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027, with categories for retailers, designers, rising stars, unsung heroes and supplier teams. The deadline is 5pm on Thursday, November 12. Find everything you need to enter at kbbreview.com/awards.

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What do retailers actually need from suppliers to help sell their products?

This week, kbbreview editor Andy Davies is joined by Trevor Scott from RFK, Steph Warner from Pier One Bathrooms and Nick Warrington from Stuart J Warrington to discuss brochures and the other sales materials suppliers provide.

Where does a printed brochure fit into the sales process? Is it a catalogue for designers or a source of inspiration for clients? And does its quality still help establish a brand’s status? We also look at point-of-sale material and showroom signage – what earns its keep, what retailers could do without, and what’s missing?

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The debate around engineered stone and silica is moving quickly. Australia has banned it, California is considering strict limits and, here in the UK, the HSE is focusing on making sure it is fabricated safely.

But what does all this mean for independent kitchen and bathroom retailers?

This week, our retailer panel discusses how much they really know about the way their worktops are fabricated, what happens when stone needs cutting or drilling on site, whether retailers should be policing their own supply chains and where responsibility ultimately lies.

And it leads to a much bigger question: with so many rules and regulations to comply with, how are independent retailers supposed to know if they're getting everything right?

Plus, a reminder that entries are now open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027 – but the closing date is Thursday, November 12, and there will be no extensions. Find out everything you need to know at kbbreview.com/awards.

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Don't scroll past this one!

The very fact that you probably rolled your eyes when you saw this episode was about sustainability is at the heart of today's discussion.

Climate change is obviously an enormous issue affecting humanity and, as a result, sustainability is one of the biggest talking points among kitchen and bathroom manufacturers.

But why does no one seem to actually care when they’re buying a new kitchen or bathroom? And is that why retailers don't really seem to care either?

In this episode of the show, host Andy Davies is joined by our regular retailer panel to ask why sustainability remains such a difficult sales message. Do customers ask about it? Are retailers reluctant to bring it up? Can water-saving and energy-saving products actually sound like a compromise rather than a benefit?

And, crucially, what would have to change before sustainability became something retailers actively wanted to use to sell kitchens and bathrooms?

Don't forget! Entries are now open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027. For everything you need to know, go to kbbreview.com/awards

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Why is franchising suddenly booming in the KBB industry?

Ripples managing director Paul Crow joins Andy Davies to discuss how the bathroom franchise has almost doubled its showroom network in five years – despite an unpredictable retail market where footfall remains under pressure.

Paul explains why attitudes towards franchising have changed, why Ripples has deliberately resisted chasing growth for growth’s sake and why the company is now preparing to recruit franchisees again.

They also discuss the changing nature of independent retail, the benefits of sharing knowledge across a network and why Paul believes the relationship between retailers and some major suppliers is becoming increasingly disconnected.

And could the next generation of Ripples include existing independents converting their showrooms?

Don't forget that entries are OPEN for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027. The closing date is November 12th and everything you need to know is at kbbreview.com/awards

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Lakes Showering Spaces is celebrating its 40th anniversary, but rather than simply looking back, Marten Baker joins Andy Davies to talk about how a specialist shower door brand keeps moving forward in one of the most competitive areas of the bathroom market.

They discuss the importance of service, ease of installation and long-term availability of spare parts; why longevity increasingly matters in product design; and how Lakes is looking towards a more premium area of the market.

Plus, as bathroom design becomes increasingly driven by colour, texture and coordinated finishes, Marten explains the challenges facing shower enclosure manufacturers trying to keep pace with rapidly changing trends in brassware.

What does innovation really look like when, fundamentally, a shower door is still a piece of glass, some metal and a handle?

This podcast is commercial content

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If one successful showroom is good, surely two must be better? More customers, more displays, more sales and a bigger business. Simple, right?

Well, perhaps not.

In this episode of The kbbreview Podcast, our regular panel of independent KBB retailers gets into the realities of opening that all-important second showroom.

How do you know when the time is right to expand? How do you choose the right location? Should showroom number two be a carbon copy of the original, or is it an opportunity to try something completely different? And does it need to be a fully-fledged showroom at all, or could a smaller, sales-led satellite operation make more sense?

Then there are the practicalities. How do you manage staff, logistics and communication across multiple locations without spreading yourself too thinly? And, most importantly, does a second showroom actually make you more profitable – or is there some truth in the old warning that you can “double your outlets and halve your profit”?

Trevor Scott from RFK, Liz Pantling-Jones from Lima Kitchens, Nick Warrington from Stuart J Warrington and Steph Warner from Pier One Bathrooms share their experiences, opinions and lessons learned.

Plus, entries are now open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027. We’re looking for the very best retailers, showrooms and designers in the country, alongside our next Rising Stars and Unsung Heroes. Entries close on Thursday, November 12, with the winners revealed at the spectacular Magna in Sheffield on Thursday, April 22, 2027.

For all the info go to kbbreview.com/awards

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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, the show all about the ups and downs and ins and outs of being an independent kitchen and bathroom retailer.

This week we’re talking about something that every business owner needs to think about – but probably not enough of them actually do - succession planning.

And that doesn’t just mean deciding what happens when you eventually retire or sell the business. What happens if you’re suddenly not there tomorrow? Could the business keep going without you? Who knows what you know, who makes the decisions and who keeps everything moving?

And what happens if it’s not you that leaves, but a key member of the team?

Trevor, Liz, NIck and Steph are all here and when it comes to succession planning they are at very different stages – from relatively new business owners to those actively trying to make their companies less dependent on them, right through to semi-retirement.

So how do you build a business that can survive – and thrive – without you?

And don't forget, entries are now OPEN for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027. Go to kbbreview.com/awards for everything you need to know.

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The Government says it wants to crack down on 'cowboy' traders in the home improvement market– but what does that actually mean for legitimate kitchen and bathroom retailers and installers?

In this episode of The kbbreview Podcast, host Andy Davies talks to Trusted Payments founder James Walker about the new government-backed initiative designed to protect consumers and good businesses.

He's at the sharp end of how the payment system actually works, whether retailers can keep their existing stage-payment structures, what happens when a customer refuses to pay, the role of the Ombudsman, and why Walker believes the answer to rogue traders isn’t simply more regulation – it’s making it easier for reputable businesses to earn trust and get paid.

If you take deposits, manage installations or simply want to know what this new scheme could mean for your business, this is one you need to hear.

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Season 19 of The kbbreview Podcast is here – and the Fab Four are back!

Trevor Scott, Liz Pantling-Jones, Nick Warrington and Steph Warner return after the summer break to answer the simplest question with the most complicated answer: how’s business?

From footfall, leads and consumer confidence to changing client behaviour and the strategies that are actually working, we take the temperature of the independent KBB market right now.

Plus, entries are officially open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2027, with categories covering the best retailers, showrooms and designs, as well as Rising Stars and Unsung Heroes. The deadline is Thursday, November 12, with the big night taking place at Magna in Sheffield on April 22, 2027.

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