Fixing skirting - glue or screw?

[Stuart Noble]

Easier to level the plaster behind the skirting first.

[Richard Perkin]

Cicero wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I wouldn't have thought so, since they're owned by Travis Perkins, which is a seriously large company. I believe TP see them as a handyman/serious DIY outlet to add to their sales to builders/tradesmen from their builders' merchant outlets.

My impression (BICBW) is that B&Q et al seem to be moving into the 'lifestyle' business and away from their DIY roots...

Kind regards

[Man at B&Q]

No it hasn't.

[Huge]

Do you recommend a particular tool to split hairs? I've tried with a #5 blade in a #3 handle, but it still isn't fine enough.

[John Rumm]

More to the point, if it is real wood and not MDF you can't guarantee it will stay flat even if it is now.

[Man at B&Q]

No tools required, I can do it with my bare hands.

[Huge]

Apparently.

[The Medway Handyman]

I reckon you are dead right there. They will be the same as Homebase in a year.

[<me9]

More like moving back to... how they were before they started with the who^Harehouses.

[John Rumm]

Well they say there has been a shift in public involvement with DIY - many deciding they are not so keen after all. So you would expect the sheds to respond by adapting to the changing business environment in any way they can.

Not sure if there is space in the market for too many lifestyle type sheds though.

B&Q seems like it is getting squeezed on both sides. When it started it was like a more grown up Texas homecare (the only real competition at the time) - a little more serious DIYer friendly. But now that space is getting occupied by Wickes and the builders merchants who are more public facing these days. Focus seems to be having great difficulty finding a niche or establishing any USPs.

[Huge]

There used to be three in Bedford. One of them closed almost immediately when the firm last changed hands and another now has huge "Closing Down Sale" signs. Irritatingly, the Wickes, Homebase & remaining Focus are all on the other side of town from me.

[Stuart Noble]

My local Focus has just sold out to Tesco. Can't say I'll miss them

[Bill]

There is always Sams Homecare in Kempston.

[Frank Erskine]

All (AFAIK) Focus stores here in the NE closed a few years ago. Most were (I think) taken over by Wickes, or closed altogether.

Is/was it normal for them to sell live pets and art & craft type stuff?

[Richard Perkin]

Frank Erskine wrote in news: [e-mail]:

After Focus acquired Do-It-All in 1998 the 'new' Focus Do-It-All store here (Stafford) did indeed sell pets and craft stuff. They devoted a very significant amount of floor space to these.

The effect of the huge selection of craft items caused the closure of two small independent craft shops (at least, that's the reason the owners gave). After approx 1 year selling these lines, they were dropped completely. The 'new' Focus now sells no pets or craft items. The small shops have not of course reopened.

[Aside: Focus also owned Wickes for 5 years, but sold it off to Travis Perkins in 2005. Focus is now owned by private equity group Cerberus who acquired the company in June 2007]

To the best of my knowledge there are only two small independent DIY shops left in Stafford. While I am a regular if infrequent customer of one of them I rarely buy more than a few pence / low £s worth of items at a time. I'm going there on Monday to buy a hank of 0000 wire wool. If he has it in stock, I'll also buy some (shellac based) sanding sealer. My previous purchase (last month) was a handful of 30mm M6 bolts/washers/nuts, so regretfully he's not making a fortune out of me. I keep promising to make a large purchase there, but never seem to make it. I think the most expensive item I have bought there previously was a Union rim lock as a direct replacement for a broken one on a cellar door. Compared to this, it's a matter of some regret to me that my last Screwfix order was for approx £150...

Kind regards

[Derek Geldard]

A little black dot at the back of my brain is telling me they've all been sold to someone or other-s (various).

DG