TOP STORIES

• Glasswells cites weaker demand but says furniture sales held up well

  East of England retailer Glasswells, one of the U.K.'s biggest independent furniture store operators, booked lower sales and profits in 2018–19 because of lower demand and a weaker housing market. Cash generation was stronger.

• Factory expansion to give Batley bed maker significant sales lift

  Batley mattress maker Dura Beds returned to growth in 2017–18 and says investment at its West Yorkshire plant will result in a further build out in sales.

• Furniture sales down 10% at Laura Ashley despite second half improvement

  The furniture sales trend improved for retailer Laura Ashley in the six months to end June though didn't prevent it recording a double-digit full-year decline, blaming weak consumer confidence for hitting products at higher price points.

• Unsecured creditors of high-end designer furniture company were owed £2.6m

  The insolvency of the London based designer furniture retailer Skandium — whose IP and other assets were sold to an unrelated third party earlier this summer — left unsecured creditors facing substantial unpaid debts.

• First Sofology store outside U.K. mainland among five new planned units

  Upholstery retailer Sofology — which tonight premieres a new television advert with film star Owen Wilson — says it will open five new stores by the spring of 2020 including a first in Northern Ireland.

• Free TV exposure for Harrison Spinks, but all of bed industry benefits

  Rival bed makers to Harrison Spinks, who might be a tad green with envy after watching TV Tuesday night, will not feel any better when they read the following story.

• Lars Larsen, JYSK founder and 'Danish king of duvets', dies aged 71

  Lars Larsen, founder of the eponymous group that he built into one of the biggest furniture businesses in the world with annual sales north of €4.2 billion, has died. He was 71 years old.

• Cabinet wholesaler Kettle finds sales growth amid challenging conditions

  Underlying sales grew for Northamptonshire cabinet furniture retailer and wholesaler Kettle Interiors in 2017–18 despite a backdrop of trading headwinds.

• Half-year sofa profits up for Alstons, Ashley Manor owner as sales trend improves

  There was an improving sales trend in the second quarter of 2019 for the Thai owner of British sofa makers Ashley Manor, Alexander & James and Alstons, negating weaker first quarter top-line figures.

• Multiyork administrator close to resolving claim against foam supplier

  Duff & Phelps says "progress has been made" in its bid to claw back cash from a foam supplier for the benefit of creditors of fallen upholstery chain Multiyork.