Perhaps we all sort of know the answer to that one … mortgages and interest rates might be low but the cost of living has risen at the same time as confidence has been hit by all the government and local authority cuts. Result – people simply aren’t spending. And to top all that, the wonderful weather we’ve all been enjoying makes everyone think of outdoors rather than in!
That’s why our Spring Show at Salterforth in May is so important for us as exhibitors and, we feel, for retailers, too. We need these opportunities to get together and share ideas about how to try and entice our customers back into stores. We’ll certainly carry on doing what we can to help in our own small way. With great new looks – like the amazing, glitzy Bahrain (see a glimpse, left), which, with its fabulous black and sparkling crystal inset panels, coupled with atmospheric colour-changing mood lighting on bedside tables; or the oh-so-smooth Vancouver sliding door robe range with its classy combination of white and sahara-coloured wide horizontal panels – but oh-so-affordable price tag.
Maybe the Royal Wedding will have cheered folk up enough to venture into the shops again – aided by a downturn in the weather!
And talking of weddings we’ve still got our Big Day to come. Son Simon and his lovely bride- to-be Jenna tie the knot in less than four months now. We’re so excited. And we’re sure they’ll agree to a new Wiemann bedroom for a wedding present, of course, won’t they? (Well, why shouldn’t furniture get some of the action!)