Fiona Russell-Horne

Group Managing Editor across the BMJ portfolio.

It’s crunch time

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May How is it possible that we are in the middle of May? I vaguely remember the Easter weekend – something about a lot of chocolate – but otherwise I’m really not sure what happened to much of March and April. What …

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RGB sponsors charity dye run

RGB Building Supplies

RGB Building Supplies is supporting Children’s Hospice South West’s charity Rainbow Run by sponsoring its blue paint station. Taking place on Saturday 9th June at Exeter’s Westpoint, 2,000 runners are expected to take part in the fundraising event and run, walk or jog their way around the 5k course, meeting …

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Grafton sales remain strong

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Irish merchanting group Grafton showed a positive start to the year in January and February followed by a difficult March and start to April. Unseasonably bad weather and freezing temperatures significantly affected the Group’s markets and reduced the rate of growth in average daily like-for-like revenue to 1.3% for the …

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Construction stumbles in first quarter

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The UK construction industry reported a mixed performance in the first quarter of 2018 according to the Construction Products Association’s Construction Trade Survey. The slide in output was partly due to the bad weather in February and march and partly due to the demise of construction giant Carillion. The latest research …

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House building recovers after snowy blasts

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Construction activity in April rose at its fastest pace for five months, underpinned by the housebuilding sector’s recovery from the weather disruption of March. That’s according to the latest IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI, which found a moderate recovery in construction output with house building being the main category of …

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FMB builders “resilient despite price hikes”

Small and medium-sized building firms got slightly busier in the first three months of this year rising material prices, according to the Federation of Master Builders.   Ninety percent of builders reported increasing material prices in Q1 2018 – the highest reading on record. Other key findings of the report …

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BMJ Awards Lunch – get your tickets now!!

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The inaugral BMJ Industry Awards lunch takes place at the Brewery in Chiswell Street on Friday May 18th. The final shortlist has been voted for and the winning entries will be announced at the celebration lunch, hosted by TV favourite Claudia Winkleman.   “Having a presenter of this calibre really …

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Road wars

“If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, Warning: massive generalisation ahead! What is it about human beings that the moment we get into our cars, we turn into absolute numbskulls, unable to think about or empathise with anyone else …

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BMF adds to policy and public affairs function

The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has appointed Perspectiva Consultants to act as Government Relations Consultants in Scotland and Northern Ireland. An established consultancy with experience and contacts with both the Scottish and Northern Irish devolved legislatures, the Perspectiva team is headed up by Karen Freel, who will be the Account Manager …

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Brewers buys Fred Williamson

North east decorators’ merchant Fred Williamson & Sons Ltd has been acquired by growing independent company, C. Brewer & Sons Ltd. The acquisition marks Brewers’ entry into the North East market and is the culmination of a long-term relationship between the two businesses. Founded in 1884 by Fred Williamson in …

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