The kbbreview Podcast

kbbreview, Andrew Davies
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Kbbreview has been the leading B2B title for the independent kitchen and bathroom retail market for nearly 40 years and The kbbreview Podcast is a stand-out weekly show for this sector. We cover national industry issues, shopfloor concerns, personal stories and expert views. This is an industry spread right across the UK and our podcast community hears directly from KBB retailers discussing their biggest issues. Whether the highly-engaged audience agrees, disagrees or empathises - hearing the real voices of peers is so important for knowing they’re not alone and are part of a wider industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 2d ago

    Should you get a second showroom?

    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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Should you get a second showroom?

  2. Sep 10

    What’s your succession plan?

    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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    What’s your succession plan?

  3. Sep 8 ·  Bonus

    The Government cowboy crackdown...but who protects the KBB retailer?

    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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The Government cowboy crackdown...but who protects the KBB retailer?

  4. Sep 3

    Is business ACTUALLY improving?

    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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Is business ACTUALLY improving?

  5. Aug 27 ·  Bonus

    Peter Dunlop: Building Bathshack

    Bathshack started life as an online-only bathroom retailer in 2009. Three years later it opened its first showroom – and discovered something surprising: physical stores actually boosted its online sales. Now, after building a network of 13 showrooms across Ireland and Northern Ireland, founder and CEO Peter Dunlop has brought Bathshack to England for the first time with a new store in Cheadle. So what can independent retailers learn from a business that has successfully combined bricks-and-mortar retail with e-commerce? Why does Dunlop believe showrooms and websites should reinforce rather than compete with each other? And, with the market as tough as it is, why is he choosing now to expand? We talk online versus offline, the importance of being genuinely different, supplier strategies, AI, customer service and why waiting for the perfect market conditions could mean waiting forever. It's a fascinating conversation about growth, differentiation and what today's bathroom customer really wants. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Peter Dunlop: Building Bathshack

  6. Aug 20 ·  Bonus

    What's going on at Magnet?

    Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, the show all about the ins and out and ups and down of being an independent kitchen and bathroom retailer. And this is a surprise bonus episode before we officially start our new season in a couple of weeks time as we managed to catch up with Sophie Rose the CEO of Magnet to get an update on what's happening with them. And, as I'm sure you've been following, a lot has happened in the last few months. The business returned to quarterly profit in late 2025 for the first time since 2019. Then Nobia exited the UK, selling Magnet to private equity firm Alteri Partners - just a few months after Sophie Rose took the helm. But the turnaround story has remained challenging – this summer Magnet proposed a CVA to tackle historic property costs, including immediate plans to close 15 underperforming stores.  So, after a year of new ownership, new leadership and some very significant financial restructuring, where does one of the UK kitchen market’s biggest names go from here? Here is kbbreview's very own George Dean in conversation with Sophie Rose… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    What's going on at Magnet?

  7. Aug 17 ·  Bonus

    Resilience 2026: Matt Fowler from Hettich

    What really makes a business set to last? Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, the show all about the ins and outs and ups and downs of being an independent kitchen and bathroom retailer. This is the final episode in a very special bonus series of interviews marking our milestone 500th issue. We published our first issue in 1984 and since then we've brought retailers the latest news, big interviews, unwavering opinions, valuable advice, deep analysis and product insights This longevity is not by accident, we are as buffeted by the uncertain and unpredictable market as much as anyone, and our heritage is built as much on resilience as it is by quality. And this is what we want to explore in this series - we're talking to some of the industry's leading suppliers about THEIR resilience, history, continuity and investments in the future. In this final episode we're meeting Matt Fowler from one of the biggest European names in furniture components - Hettich This episode is commercial content Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Resilience 2026: Matt Fowler from Hettich

  8. Aug 12 ·  Bonus

    Resilience 2026: Julie McLean from Hansgrohe

    Resilience 2026: Julie McLean from Hansgrohe What really makes a business set to last? Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, the show all about the ins and outs and ups and downs of being an independent kitchen and bathroom retailer. This is another in our very special bonus series of interviews marking our milestone 500th issue. We published our first issue in 1984 and since then we've brought retailers the latest news, big interviews, unwavering opinions, valuable advice, deep analysis and product insights This longevity is not by accident, we are as buffeted by the uncertain and unpredictable market as much as anyone, and our heritage is built as much on resilience as it is by quality. And this is what we want to explore in this series - we're talking to some of the industry's leading suppliers about THEIR resilience, history, continuity and investments in the future. In this episode, we're meeting Julie McLean from one of the biggest names in bathrooms - Hansgrohe.... This episode is commercial content Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Resilience 2026: Julie McLean from Hansgrohe
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About

Kbbreview has been the leading B2B title for the independent kitchen and bathroom retail market for nearly 40 years and The kbbreview Podcast is a stand-out weekly show for this sector. We cover national industry issues, shopfloor concerns, personal stories and expert views. This is an industry spread right across the UK and our podcast community hears directly from KBB retailers discussing their biggest issues. Whether the highly-engaged audience agrees, disagrees or empathises - hearing the real voices of peers is so important for knowing they’re not alone and are part of a wider industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    kbbreview, Andrew Davies
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    356
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Taylist Media
  • Show Website
    The kbbreview Podcast