B&Q

B&Q was founded in March 1969 in Southampton, England, by Richard Block and David Quayle, following the purchase and fitting out of a former furniture warehouse in the Southampton suburb of Portswood.{{cite news |url=http://shopping.guardian.co.uk/household/story/0,1587,1262065,00.html |newspaper=The Guardian |title=Fear of diy-ing |first=Miranda |last=Sawyer |date=17 July 2004 |access-date=26 April 2010 |location=London}} Originally called Block & Quayle, the duo soon shortened the brand to B&Q as stock delivery notes and invoices were already unofficially abbreviating the name.

By each working over sixty-hour, six-day weeks, they were able to repay their bank overdraft within six months of opening, with turnover reaching £1 million within the first five years of operating.{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/finance-obituaries/7598702/David-Quayle.html |title=David Quayle Obituary |work=The Telegraph |date=16 April 2010 |access-date=13 February 2017}} The chain quickly expanded, and by 1979, there were 26 shops across the United Kingdom.{{cite web|url=http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templates/content_lookup.jsp?content=/aboutbandq/2004/company_information/history.jsp&menu=default |title=B&Q Online: From Kitchens & Bathrooms to Sheds & Paving; plus planning tools |publisher=Diy.com |access-date=29 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310144610/http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templates/content_lookup.jsp?content=%2Faboutbandq%2F2004%2Fcompany_information%2Fhistory.jsp&menu=default |archive-date=10 March 2012 }}

Co-founder Block left the company in 1976.

B&Q grew rapidly through a combination of mergers, acquisitions and expansions, such as the acquisition of a Hampshire based company Dodge City at the beginning of the 1980s. The chain was itself acquired by the F. W. Woolworth Company for £16.8 million at the beginning of the 1980s, coinciding with Quayle, who by that time had a personal wealth of £4 million, selling his share. This would result, for a time, in B&Q being an indirect sister company to Foot Locker, another F. W. Woolworth subsidiary.

Two years later, F. W. Woolworth's United Kingdom subsidiary (Woolworths Group) and B&Q were purchased by Paternoster Stores, which became Kingfisher plc{{cite web |url=http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?PageID=107&subsection=mainnews&Year=2002&NewsID=314 |title=Kingfisher plc : Home – Investors – Press releases |publisher=Kingfisher.com |date=30 October 2002 |access-date=29 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310094215/http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?PageID=107&subsection=mainnews&Year=2002&NewsID=314 |archive-date=10 March 2012 |url-status=dead }} and is still B&Q's parent company {{As of|2023|lc=y}}.{{cite web | title=Our retail banners | publisher=Kingfisher Corporate | url=https://www.kingfisher.com/en/about-us/what-we-do/brands.html | access-date=18 February 2023}}

B&Q developed two new trading formats: HomeCentres, retailing furniture, bathrooms, soft furniture, flooring and lighting; and AutoCentres, being similar to a Halfords, the first launch taking place at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, at the end of the 1980s. The concept being to have a HomeCentre, AutoCentre and DIY Superstore with one communal car park.

The forays into these new markets were relatively short lived, and the various sites were sold on a couple of years later. The AutoCentres becoming in the main 'Charlie Browns', the HomeCentres being sold off individually.

File:Interior of B&Q, Glasshoughton, Castleford, West Yorkshire (8th January 2023).jpg]]

In the mid 1990s, B&Q opened a new format of shop known as the Depot (later changed to B&Q Depot), a forerunner of a new class of shop known as the B&Q Warehouse.{{cite web | title=History of B&Q| website=bqsuperstore.co.uk | date=17 January 2007 | url=http://bqsuperstore.co.uk/?page_id=4 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929070629/http://bqsuperstore.co.uk/?page_id=4 | archive-date=29 September 2007 | url-status=dead}} This new store format was almost identical to that of the US chain Home Depot, where the stores were built on a much bigger scale with a larger floor area, merchandise presented on two storey, industrial-style shelving and an enhanced range of product lines which now extended to bulk building materials. For the branding of these new stores B&Q also moved to a new corporate colour style of orange (away from the previous black/red) which again was almost the same as Home Depot. For this reason, it is often erroneously believed that there is a formal connection between the two compainies. The company also began to expand outside the United Kingdom. In 1995, the retailer opened their first overseas subsidiary in Taiwan, and in January 1996, the first overseas large home improvement centre in Taoyuan City, Taiwan.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7147942.stm |title=B&Q owner to sell Taiwan shops |work=BBC News |date=17 December 2007 |access-date=13 February 2017 }}

In September 1998, it acquired NOMI, Poland's leading chain of DIY shops,{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0VCW/is_12_25/ai_55013616 |title=Western influx underscores potential | Find Articles at BNET.com |publisher=Findarticles.com |access-date=29 April 2012}} and later that year, merged with France's Castorama.{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0VCW/is_8_25/ai_54556196 |title=Top 10 dealers on Earth grow 21.7% | Find Articles at BNET.com |publisher=Findarticles.com |access-date=29 April 2012}}

In December 2000, Kingfisher plc acquired 28 development sites, intended to house future shops of rival chain Homebase from Sainsbury's, who sold the chain.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1082731.stm |title=Sainsbury's sells Homebase |work=BBC News |access-date=30 September 2013 |date=22 December 2000}} The development sites instead housed shops of B&Q. In August 2001, B&Q opened its first shop in Shanghai, when it hoped to increase outlets from four to 58 by 2005.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1480233.stm|title=B&Q opens Shanghai megastore|publisher=news.bbc.co.uk|date=8 August 2001|access-date=4 April 2017}}{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0VCW/is_15_27/ai_78236946 |title=B&Q sets its sights on ambitious shop roll-out - Shanghai B and Q Building Material Supermarket Co - International Pages - Brief Article | Find Articles at BNET.com |publisher=Findarticles.com |date=6 August 2001 |access-date=29 April 2012}}

B&Q opened its first shop in Hong Kong on 1 June 2007,{{cite web |url=http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?pageid=55&newsid=528 |title=First B&Q store to open in Hong Kong |publisher=Kingfisher.com |date=1 June 2007 |access-date=13 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214003512/http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?pageid=55&newsid=528 |archive-date=14 February 2017 |url-status=dead }} but was scheduled to close it on 13 September 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=15345&icid=1&d_str= |title=Kingfisher to close B&Q store in Kowloon Bay |work=The Standard |access-date=28 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015163934/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=15345&icid=1&d_str= |archive-date=15 October 2012 }} In December 2007, Kingfisher sold its 50 per cent stake in B&Q Taiwan to its joint venture partner. The $106.5 million (£51.6 million) sale, producing a profit of £25 million, was used to reduce debt.

In March 2009, B&Q closed 22 of its then 63 shops in China, blaming the housing slump.{{cite news |last=Wood |first=Zoe |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/mar/26/kingfisher-bandq-china |title=Kingfisher makes deep cuts in B&Q's Chinese chain | The Guardian |work=The Guardian |access-date=28 April 2012 |location=London |date=26 March 2009}}

In May 2011, B&Q agreed to acquire 31 shops in the United Kingdom, from the administrators of Focus DIY for £23 million.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13315837 |title=B&Q owner Kingfisher buys 31 Focus DIY shops |access-date=16 November 2012 |work=BBC News |date=6 May 2011}} During 2011, B&Q opened a new regional distribution centre, at G.Park in Swindon.[http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/8323891.Huge_B_Q_distribution_centre_gets_the_go_ahead/ Swindon Advertiser, accessed 31 March 2015]

In 2020, B&Q announced a sales increase of 17.6pc to £3.5 billion for the quarter to 31 October, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic during which people spent money on home improvements.{{Cite web|title=Pandemic helps drive sales at B&Q owner|url=https://www.independent.ie/business/world/pandemic-helps-drive-sales-at-b-and-q-owner-39765258.html|access-date=22 November 2020|website=independent|date=19 November 2020 |language=en}}

In 2021, B&Q announced the launch of its new website in the Republic of Ireland.{{Cite web |title=B&Q launch new Irish website with more services available nationwide |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/bandq-launch-new-irish-website-with-more-services-available-nationwide/41028138.html |access-date=21 February 2024 |website=Independent|date=8 November 2021 }}

In 2022, B&Q opened its first two shops in Saudi Arabia, in the capital, Riyadh.{{cite news |last=Vaimal |first=Rahul |title=B&Q Stores expand to Saudi Arabia through Al-Futtaim Group |publisher=GCC Business News |date=3 July 2022 |url=https://www.gccbusinessnews.com/bq-stores-expand-to-saudi-arabia-through-al-futtaim-group/}}

In May 2023, B&Q opened new distribution centre in Bassetlaw.{{Cite web |title=B&Q opens new distribution centre in Bassetlaw and creates 100 jobs |url=https://www.worksopguardian.co.uk/business/bq-opens-new-distribution-centre-in-bassetlaw-and-creates-100-jobs-4159589 |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=Worksop Guardian|date=26 May 2023 }} Later, in August, B&Q opened in Sutton, the UK.{{Cite web |title=Brand new B&Q opens its doors in Sutton |url=https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/23742969.brand-new-b-q-opens-doors-sutton/ |access-date=30 January 2024 |website=Your Local Guardian|date=24 August 2023 }}

In January 2024, B&Q unveiled its plan to open its tenth local store on Staines high street.{{Cite web |title=New B&Q Local Staines store celebrates upcoming opening with a special community makeover |url=https://retailtimes.co.uk/new-bq-local-staines-store-celebrates-upcoming-opening-with-a-special-community-makeover/ |access-date=30 January 2024 |website=Retail Times|date=22 January 2024 }} Later in February, B&Q announced its increase of its hourly rate of pay for its UK employees to £12.21 and up to £13.55 in London.{{Cite web |title=B&Q becomes 'highest-paying major retailer' after pay boost |url=https://www.retail-week.com/people/bandq-becomes-highest-paying-major-retailer-after-pay-boost/7045574.article |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=Retail Week}}{{Cite web |title=B&Q moves to its most competitive hourly rate of pay ever |url=https://retailtimes.co.uk/bq-moves-to-its-most-competitive-hourly-rate-of-pay-ever/ |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=Retail Times|date=12 February 2024 }}{{Cite web |title=B&Q ups hourly rate as it claims to be UK's highest paying retailer |url=https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2024/02/bq-minimum-hourly-rate/ |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=Retail Gazette|date=12 February 2024 }} Also in 2024, B&Q reported the opening of its new store in Staines.{{Cite web |title=New B&Q store coming to Surrey town |url=https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/new-bq-store-coming-surrey-28497731 |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=Surrey Live|date=23 January 2024 }}

In January 2025, B&Q announced they would acquire five Homebase locations from the administrators; they had previously announced they would rescue three Homebase stores in the Republic of Ireland.{{Cite web |last=Morgan |first=Aoife |date=2025-01-06 |title=B&Q acquires 5 Homebase UK stores - Retail Gazette |url=https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2025/01/bq-uk-homebase-stores/ |access-date=2025-02-04 |language=en-GB}}

Diall (standing for 'Do It All') is a B&Q brand.{{cite web |title=Our own brands: expert quality at handy prices |url=https://www.diy.ie/brands/own-brands |website=diy.ie |access-date=30 December 2023}}

GoodHome is the main own-brand at B&Q stores, ranging from the complete kitchen collection, to paint, decsundries and more.

B&Q were reported to have a customer base of seven million in July 2016, of which it was estimated 75% use the retailer's website to research their desired products, prior to purchasing in shop.{{cite news |url=http://www.essentialretail.com/news/article/577bd481065d6-how-bq-the-ecommerce-customer-journey |title=How B&Q analyses the customer journey |work=Essential Retail |date=5 July 2016 |access-date=13 February 2017 |archive-date=14 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214003821/http://www.essentialretail.com/news/article/577bd481065d6-how-bq-the-ecommerce-customer-journey |url-status=dead }}

B&Q operated a Diamond Club scheme which offered some benefits, but it was closed to new members in 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.diy.com/customer-support/policies/terms/?tab=ui-accordion-title-6 |title=B&Q Club - Terms and Conditions |publisher=diy.com |access-date=13 February 2017}} It still can be used by established members, but only on exterior & ‘seasonal’ products.{{Cite web |title=Diamond Card Discount {{!}} DIY at B&Q |url=https://www.diy.com/diamond |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=www.diy.com |language=en-GB}}

The retail chain offers over 40,000 products across their 300 shops and through their online presence.{{cite web |url=http://www.diy.com/corporate/about |title=Company Information |publisher=B&Q |access-date=23 August 2011}} Reports in May 2007 suggested it was the second largest in Europe, and the fourth largest in the world (behind the Home Depot, Lowe's and OBI).{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-kingfisher-trading-idUKL3117671620070531|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109063049/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-kingfisher-trading-idUKL3117671620070531|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 January 2016|title=Interest rate worries cloud Kingfisher |date=31 May 2007 |work=Reuters |access-date=28 September 2011}}

File:Grimsby B and Q - geograph.org.uk - 150880.jpg, England]]

By 2000, B&Q had 51 large warehouse shops; this had doubled by 2003. By May 2014, B&Q in the United Kingdom had 359 shops, and 20,887 employees;{{cite web |url=http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?pageid=33 |title=Kingfisher PLC About Us |publisher=kingfisher.com |access-date=11 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727053215/http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?pageid=33 |archive-date=27 July 2014 |url-status=dead }} and eight shops in Ireland.

In March 2015, Kingfisher said it would close 60 B&Q shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland over the next two years, and a few loss-making shops elsewhere in Europe. It also said that B&Q UK and Ireland could adequately meet local customer needs, from fewer shops, and some shops should be smaller.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32126970 |title=Kingfisher to close about 60 B&Q shops |work=BBC News |date=31 March 2015 |access-date=29 August 2015}}

B&Q account for around a third of their parent company's revenues, seeing like for like sales increase by 5.6% in August 2016.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/08/18/bq-owner-kingfisher-beats-expectations-with-diy-sales-surge/ |title=B&Q owner Kingfisher beats expectations with DIY sales surge |work=The Telegraph |date=18 August 2016 |access-date=12 February 2017}} In the year ending 31 January 2007, sales were £3.9 billion despite overall sales falling by 1.7% compared to the previous year, whilst profit was £162.9 million, a fall from £208.5 million during the previous year.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6505545.stm |work=BBC News |title=B&Q firm upbeat but profit falls |date=29 March 2007 |access-date=26 April 2010}} Profit fell further in the year ending 31 January 2008, to £131 million.{{cite web |url=https://www.kingfisher.com/files/reports/annual_report_2008/index.asp?pageid=47 |title=Revamp programme gathers pace - Annual Report and Accounts 2007/08 |publisher=Kingfisher |date=February 2008 |access-date=13 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214004021/https://www.kingfisher.com/files/reports/annual_report_2008/index.asp?pageid=47 |archive-date=14 February 2017 |url-status=dead}}

In March 2013, it was reported that the retail chain's Ireland operation was making losses, with their then nine shops making a combined loss of £7 million throughout 2012, yet its operations within the United Kingdom turned a profit despite an overall decrease in sales by 5.6%.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/mar/26/b-and-q-sales-slump-kingfisher-profits |title=B&Q sales slump hits Kingfisher |work=The Guardian |date=26 March 2013 |access-date=12 February 2017}}

File:B&T Home at Jinsiji Shopping Center, Beijing (20240709112055).jpg outlet opened in 2003, rebranded as "B&T Home" in March 2018 (taken in July 2024)]]

File:MegaBoxB&Q 20070607.jpg outlet in Hong Kong (2007)]]

Outside the United Kingdom, B&Q's other international operations are in Ireland and, since 2022, in Saudi Arabia. On 31 January 2013, B&Q Ireland Ltd filed for examinership in the Irish courts and PWC Ireland was appointed examiner,{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21291351 |title=B&Q owner's Kingfisher puts Irish arm into examinership |access-date=2 February 2013 |work=BBC News |date=1 February 2013}} though shops continued to trade while alternative financing arrangements were made.{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2013/0131/365509-examiner-appointed-to-diy-chain-bq-ireland/ |publisher=RTÉ News |title=Examiner appointed to DIY chain B&Q Ireland |date=31 January 2013}}

B&Q Ireland had been making a loss since two years before, although the shops in the United Kingdom continued to stay in profit.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9840407/BandQ-owner-Kingfisher-puts-Irish-arm-into-rescue-process.html |title=B&Q owner Kingfisher puts Irish arm into rescue process |work=The Telegraph |date=31 January 2013 |access-date=12 February 2017}} The chain exited examinership a few months later in May 2013, following High Court approval for investment totalling €2.4 million to allow eight of their nine shops to continue operating.{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/further-job-losses-avoided-as-b-q-exits-examinership-1.1384987 |title=Further job losses avoided as B&Q exits examinership |work=Irish Times |date=7 May 2013 |access-date=12 February 2017}}

B&Q expanded into China during 1999, building up a chain of nearly 40 shops, but opted to sell a 70% controlling stake of operations in China to Wumart in 2015, due to poor sales.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/dec/22/kingfisher-china-diy-bq |title=Kingfisher sells B&Q China stake as DIY fails to take off |work=The Guardian |date=22 December 2014 |access-date=11 February 2017}} B&Q's parent company had previously sold its 50% stake in B&Q Taiwan in 2007 in order to focus on what was then a rapidly growing business in China.

In June 2001, in Poole, Dorset, 69-year-old customer Pamela Jean Hinchliffe was fatally crushed by a forklift at the firm's Fleetsbridge shop. In June 2004, B&Q were found guilty of causing her death, and the following month they were fined £550,000.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/dorset/4286458.stm |title=UK | B&Q forklift death appeal fails |work=BBC News |date=27 September 2005 |access-date=24 March 2015}}

In July 2017, B&Q faced widespread criticism from customers complaining of bad smells and headaches after painting their homes with Valspar paint sold to them. This led to B&Q compensating hundreds of customers, with the problem said to be caused by bacterial contamination in the can causing emission of hydrogen sulphide and ammonia.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-40655163|title=B&Q in payouts over bad paint smells|last=Thomas|first=Lydia|date=19 July 2017|access-date=11 June 2019|language=en-GB}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/20/bq-customers-compensated-complaining-paint-smells-like-cat-urine/|title=B&Q customers compensated after complaining that paint smells like cat urine|last=Ward|first=Victoria|date=20 July 2017|work=The Telegraph|access-date=11 June 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}

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Category:Home improvement companies of the United Kingdom

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