Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Independent builders merchant, Kent Blaxill, has won a prestigious Farrow & Ball award beating competition from international stockists to claim the prize.
The East Anglian decorative materials supplier won the award for “Best In-store Presentation” at the Farrow & Ball Stockist Awards Night held at the Haven Hotel, Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset, on June 9.
Kent Blaxill was judged on the recently revamped display at its Melton/Woodbridge branch. With competing stockists based in the USA, Canada, and Europe, other finalists came from Germany and France.
The judging criteria included the ‘wow’ factor at the stockist whose in-store presentation reflects the premium nature of the Farrow & Ball brand and delivers an outstanding consumer experience, with a dedicated F&B window and/or in-store displays.
Kent Blaxill was represented at the evening by Ron McConnachie, commercial director; Jane Collins, Melton branch manager; Lyndsey O’Dowd, from Melton; and Sally Dewar from the Bury St Edmunds branch.
Chris Wood, Farrow & Ball head of sales, presented the award to the merchant.
Ron McConnachie of Kent Blaxill said: “The decision was apparently very close with some fantastic displays from the European finalists. The judges in the end were particularly impressed by the transformation at Melton, where sales have increased 42% since the revamp.
“The award shows that we are getting the balance right in our new branch layouts between trade and retail products, with both trade and retail manufacturers being very complimentary.
“Several KB staff were involved with the project; thanks and credit to Jill Blaxill who designed and implemented the display, to Chris Barton for project managing the branch revamp, and to Jane Collins and her team at the Melton branch who kept the store open throughout the transformation.”
