The kbbreview Podcast

Welcome to episode 16 of season three of The kbbreview Podcast with your host Andrew Davies. This week we’re going to talk retail psychology again with the return of behavioural science expert and all round retail consultant Phillip Adcock . And we’re talking about your showroom and how, from a retail psychology point of view, retailers should dress and prop those sets AND create a narrative journ...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 15 of season 3 and your host as always is Andy Davies This week we’re looking at two really interesting, highly relevant and timely subjects. First up, we’re looking at the return of major industry events and in particular what’s happening with the k bb show in Birmingham in March 2022 . As we're sure so many of you remember, the 2020 show took pla...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 14 of season three with your host Andy Davies. Today we’re talking installation – the continuing high demand in retail is putting enormous pressure on existing installers and highlighting even more the critical shortage of quality new installers. Put simply, there aren’t enough fitters to go round so is there anything retailers can do right now to...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 13 of Season Three and we're back from our mid-season break with a very special episode looking at High Streets.  Back in July the Government released a White Paper that unveiled its plans to revitalise the high street – looking at issues such as empty premises, how to support the retailers and businesses on the high street, the environment itself...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast – this is episode 12 of Season Three and it’s a bit of a unique one this week. Your host as always is Andy Davies and he’s bringing the show from his seat at Wembley Stadium during Sunday’ Euro 2020 final.  It has nothing to do with the guests on the show but who cares. We have a great interview with Jon Wallis, he runs Andy’s local independent kbb retailer WC One...

Welcome to the another very special bonus episode of the kbbreview podcast dedicated to the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2021 . We’re into July and that means we’re now counting down the weeks to the event and very exciting it is too. As you may have heard, we’ve switched to a bigger venue by popular demand – it’s still in Liverpool, still on September the 15th, but we’re now in the iconic Liv...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies as always and this is episode 11 of Season Three. A couple of very diverse subjects today but both ultimately come down to the day-to-day running of your showroom. First up we’re looking at water labels – again - last week the government announced that it is introducing a mandatory water efficiency label on products and that could not only...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is episode ten of season three. Really interesting couple of features this week and we start with a chat with an appliance brand that is really mounting a serious challenge against the main players in the built-in market and that’s Samsung . We talk to channel manager Jonathan Hartley Then we go straight to the shop floor and talk...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, I’m your host as always Andy Davies and this is episode nine of season three. Excellent episode this week as we have an interview with a retailer who is not only one of the biggest independents in the UK but also one of the most consistently impressive and that’s Kitchens International in Scotland. They’ve just been acquired by James Donaldson & Sons so we find ou...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and you’re listening to episode eight of season three. Today we bring you a great episode that sees the return of friend-of-the-show David Barker from marketing specialists Inspire KBB . In particular today we’re talking about long term marketing plans for KBB retailers. Demand is high, dealing with short term issues is top of th...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 7 of season three with your host as always Andy Davies. It’s a very special episode this week as we're talking to Mark Millar, the host of the recent Channel 5 show dedicated to this very sector Dream Kitchens and Bathrooms. You probably know Mark best from DIY SOS on the BBC and we also talk about how that show is one of the few on TV that shows t...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is episode six of season three. We’ve got a couple of great guests today, first up, to mark World Environment Day 2021 on June the 5th we’re looking at one of this industry’s biggest environmental impacts – how much water we use. I’m delving into a scheme designed to tackle that very issue – the Unified Water Label  with...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 5 of Season 3. Big developments this week as Andy actually leaves the loft to go and see some real retailers in actual showrooms. In the first of a two-part trip out into the wild, Andy visits two legendary London locations - Wigmore Street and Waterloo. The first is the home of Halcyon Interiors and Andy meets up with showroom and design manager G...

Welcome to another special bonus episode of the kbbreview podcast dedicated to the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2021. We’re going to meet one of the most consistently high performing designers in the history of the awards – Pippa Paton . She’s a finalist in two categories AGAIN this year so will she take home another trophy to add to the three she already has? We find out all about her backgro...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast with your host Andy Davies, this is episode four of season three. The long term issue of sustainability is a much harder problem to tackle even than a pandemic but one retailer is doing what it can to make sure everything it does has as little environmental impact as possible - and its proving very appealing to clients too.  We meet Rob Cole from Sheffield Sustaina...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode three of season three with your host Andy Davies up in the loft. First up today we have Emma Culshaw Bell, she’s a painter who specialises in authentic hand-painted kitchens but also paint effects, restoration and colour consultation – so interesting to hear from someone with such classic artisan skills. Find out more about her here. Then we change...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is a very special bonus episode. We’ve teamed up with our good friends at Bathroom Brands to bring you this fascinating interview with their CEO Stephen Ewer. He took over there a year ago which was, of course, weeks after the first lockdown came into effect. Since then he’s successfully steered the company through the c...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is episode two of season three. We’ve got another cracking episode with a couple of guests at the top of their KBB game. First up we’ve got Michael Parinchy from retailer ProBuild360 in Birmingham – they’re currently celebrating three – yes, THREE – finalist nominations in their first go at entering the kbbreview Retail...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is officially episode one of season three. We’re kicking off with a look at the state of the housing market as, of course, the health of the kbb market is inextricably linked to what’s happening in mortgages and property. We’ve got some great expert insight from Iain Swatton at mortgage comparison site Dashly – really fa...

Welcome to the latest episode of The kbbreview Podcast and host Andy Davies is back in his loft raring to go with a couple of fascinating guests. First up we’re looking at how retailers should be managing their online reputation – what can you do to make sure you know what people are saying about you in online reviews and how can you ensure it’s working positively for you? This is, of course, so i...

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast where this is the second of our special episodes to mark International Women’s Day. Your host is kbbreview editor Rebecca Nottingham and the first episode from last week looked at the supply side of the industry, so go back and check that out if you haven’t heard it yet. Today we’re heading to the sharp end where the industry meets the consumer – the retail showroo...

Welcome to the latest special bonus episode of The kbbreview Podcast all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2021. And it’s a proper short breaking news episode! The entries are closed, the judging is in full swing, we’re all geared up to announce the finalists on April 1st and then Boris swings in with his roadmap and the news we were waiting for. So the official date for the kbbreview Ret...

Welcome to the kbbreview podcast with your special guest host, kbbreview editor Rebecca Nottingham.  She brings you two very special episodes to mark International Women’s Day on March the 8th. The corporate side of the KBB industry is predominantly run by men and yet, at the sharp end, for consumers looking for a new kitchen or bathroom the purchasing decisions are predominantly made by women. So...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast – this is episode 18 of Season Two – and your host as always is Taylist Media managing editor Andy Davies. Spring is coming fast, we’ve had 20 million vaccines and we’ve been able to add another word to our covid vocabulary – roadmap. It's the plan that will lead us all out of lockdown and into the promised land, or at least the nearest pub. In this episode we’re d...

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies. This is episode 17 of Season Two and we’ve got a very special guest today as we tackle the often uncomfortable subject of online retail. We're talking to the CEO of one of the biggest online bathroom retailers – James Hickman of Plumbworld. He’s a fascainting guy and he’s very candid and measured about his views on the showrooms...