B&Q launches new Waterford store creating 37 jobs
B&Q Waterford opened on Thursday, May 29, at Ardkeen Retail Park, Farronshoneen, Outer Ring Road, Waterford city, (X91 W1WD). The opening times are Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm, and Sunday, from 10am to 6pm.
The opening of the new store follows B&Q's acquisition of three previous Homebase stores earlier this year, which were to be opened throughout May.
The new B&Q Waterford store employs 37 staff, including 16 staff who transferred from Homebase. The 30,000 square foot B&Q store, located at Ardkeen Retail Park, the site of the previous Homebase store, has been remodelled and refreshed with B&Q branding and products.
It will offer a wide range of home improvement essentials, along with a dedicated TradePoint counter tailored to meet the needs of local trade professionals.
In addition to more than 13,000 essential home improvement products, there will be a dedicated timber cutting service, B&Q's popular Valspar paint mixing service, and a garden centre offering outdoor plants and gardening equipment and one-hour click and collect service.
Staff and management celebrated the opening with live music from the Celtic Drummers, while surprises and activities for its first customers included a free plant and gift card, a visit from the Dulux dog, and a ribbon cutting ceremony. The ribbon was cut by Yvonne Hale, who opened the former Homebase store 20 years ago.
John Eason, B&Q retail director for Ireland and north UK, attended the opening and said: 'It was another exciting opening in Waterford, the second of three new B&Q stores to open across Ireland. I'm really proud of the efforts of all the teams involved in opening the new store which have been converted to the B&Q brand at a quick pace.
'It's a great opportunity for us to bring our B&Q and TradePoint offer to more of our customers across Ireland. Store manager Gary Roche and his team are looking forward to welcoming customers into the store.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
The Irish Independent's View: Donald Trump has the power to end Iran-Israel war – it's time he used it
Today's equivalent might be Donald Trump's repeated declarations that 'we're going to do a deal'. Once the words 'big and beautiful' are added, cynics will claim, the obsequies for all hope are complete. They point to: Afghanistan, North Korea, Ukraine, the Middle East and possibly now Iran. Mr Trump has been bigging-up deals, but when it comes to their delivery, a strategy or a glimmer of success, there is nothing to show for the effort. Mostly because they were not deals at all, but rather strong-armed ultimatums. They were delivered as offers that cannot be refused. And crises seem to deepen as a result of such off-the-cuff engagements. In less than five months in office, Mr Trump has upended US diplomacy, with a far friendlier posture towards Russia while treating trusted allies with disdain. Now, as Israel continues to attack Iran, Mr Trump has weighed in, telling the 10 million citizens of Tehran – its capital – they would be well advised to vacate their city. Having left the G7 early, he contradicted French president Emmanuel Macron, who had said Mr Trump's premature departure was to arrange a ceasefire. Mr Trump flatly dismissed this. He was instead calling on Iran for a 'complete give-up'. He had 'not reached out to Iran for 'peace talks' in any way, shape, or form', he added. The price of oil immediately began to rise on the news. But Mr Trump then said he 'may' send his envoy Steve Witkoff or vice-president JD Vance to meet Iranian leaders, but 'it depends what happens when I get back'. As Israel's biggest backer, Mr Trump could seize the initiative. The world is watching to see if Washington will deploy its B-2 stealth bombers to help Tel Aviv blow up Iran's deepest nuclear facilities – especially its uranium enrichment plant at Fordow, dug into a mountainside under reinforced concrete. Washington has repeatedly called for a 'broader de-escalation' in the Middle East, instead of insisting on it. It is ignoring its unique leverage with Tel Aviv. Mr Trump says he wants to see a 'real end to the conflict'. But again, he is overlooking the fact he has the power to demand a ceasefire and create a space for the diplomacy that was thwarted by the Israeli attacks. Critics of Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu say he manipulated the showdown to divert from domestic political threats. It would be quite an irony were Mr Trump to find himself on the wrong side of his 'America First' diehards, who are bitterly opposed to entangling US troops in new Middle East hostilities. All the while, Mr Netanyahu seems ever more emboldened with Mr Trump at his back.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- The Irish Sun
B&M is selling a £6 cabin bag that's perfect for Ryanair flights, holds a lot and is ‘no problem' at check in
B&M is selling an "ace" cabin bag for just £6 - and it' could double as the perfect hand luggage's even Ryainair-approved. Summer is finally upon us, and with temperatures set to ramp up again this weekend, many of us are likely making plans for a holiday. Advertisement 2 B&M is selling a Ryanair-approved cabin bag Credit: Alamy 2 The £7 bag is on sale for just £6 Credit: Facebook/Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK But finding a bag that meets the strict size guidelines of major airlines can be tricky. Thankfully, B&M has the perfect product to put travellers at ease - and it's reduced too. Whether it's a sunny getaway or weekend trip, the Bordlite underseat cabin bag will hold everything you need for a short time away. The bag, available in black or grey, is usually priced at £7 but is currently on offer for just £6. Advertisement B&M bosses say "Travel with convenience using this Under the Seat Handheld Bag." They promise it is "suitable for major airlines" thanks to its 40 x 25 x 20cm dimensions. This makes it ideal for EasyJet customers, with their under-seat cabin bag's maximum dimensions being 45x36x20cm, including handles and wheels. The airline claims this size allows you to 'bring all the essentials for a short trip'. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Latest Latest It also meets the specifications for Ryanair's underseat baggage dimensions (40x20x25cm). Sharing the find on the 'Ryanair hate this jacket' shoppers show how to pack for a 10-day trip in your COAT & it even fits under the plane seat "That's good value", one person gushed. A second wrote: "These are the bags we need." Advertisement A third added: "Bought these last year, fit plenty in." "Got them - ace", chimed in a fourth. A fifth said: "Mine's done loads of trips with no problems at all!" Meanwhile, a sixth insisted: "These are great bags and hold a lot." Advertisement Primark is also selling an underseat bag which has racked up a legion of fans, and measures 40x20x25cm, when its wheels are removed, meaning it's fully compliant with the budget airline. The wheels are 'easy click', so they can be detached in seconds on the plane if you need. Read more on the Irish Sun The hardshell suitcase also includes a handy bag for storing the wheels during the flight, and has a number of different zipped compartments to make packing easier. Advertisement The bags also won't break the bank, costing just £25 each and saving you having to pay for any luggage on the flight. Holiday packing tips Jemma Solomon, aka The Label Lady has got 5 packing tips to help you get organised for your next holiday. 1. Write a list Think about all the essentials you need to take with you; suncream, medicine, a few games for the kids, beach towels, and write everything in one list, which you can tick off as you add it to your suitcase. Or for complete ease, try Google's AI app - Gemini - which will create a list for you and help you not over pack. 2. Involve your kids Jemma said: 'My girls are getting older, they're 11 and nine, and they enjoy helping to pack. So I send them a list, and say 'this is what you need' and they follow the list. 'And then I give them a rucksack each - and say to them 'you can have whatever you want in there as long as it's not liquid', and they can take that on the plane. And that's their 'home away from home' items.' 3. Try a hack or two She said: "I think they all work, but for different reasons - and you've just got to pick the right one for your trip. "Rolling your clothes is really good to stop your clothes from getting creases. And if you're trying to get a lot of items into your case, it's a space saver. 'Packing cubes are great - for example, I'm going on holiday with my three kids and we're all using the same suitcase for our clothes. "These handy compartments let you separate your clothes, toiletries and tech into designated cubes, maximising luggage space by keeping your items compressed and neatly stacked. "I love taking them abroad with the family and it means my kids can easily take charge of their own items once we've arrived." 4. Decant beauty products Do you really need to take full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner with you? The beauty industry has evolved so much, you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets - which are much lighter and smaller. Or, if you'll be popping to the shops when you're abroad, consider buying some items when you arrive. 5. Get organised before you come home Jemma said: 'When you repack on holiday [before coming home], the trick is to separate clean from dirty clothes. 'Also pack it in some form of order - so lights, darks, colours for items that need washing, or if you wash your clothes by person in the household, piles for each person. "Then you can put it straight into the washing machine. Do it straight away, don't leave it."
Agriland
11-06-2025
- Agriland
Another 40,000ha of NZ sheep and beef farms sold for forestry
Almost 40,000ha of sheep and beef farms in New Zealand has been sold for conversion to forestry in the past eight months, according to a new report. The independent research released by Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) shows that sales of beef and sheep farms, particularly for carbon farming, are continuing 'at an alarming rate'. Of particular concern, the farm organisation said is a significant shift towards productive land being sold. The research by Orme and Associates shows a further 38,921ha has been confirmed as sold since the last report in September 2024. Revised confirmed sales in 2023 now total 29,518ha and in 2024 now 30,483ha – that figure is expected to rise as further sales are confirmed. The report shows that sales through Overseas Investment Office approvals and to carbon-only forestry entities continue to dominate. Forestry The total amount of whole sheep and beef farms sold since January 1, 2017 is now more than 300,000ha. B+LNZ's conservative estimate is that more than two million stock units have been lost to afforestation over the past 8 years. New Zealand's Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay yesterday (Tuesday, June 10) introduced long-awaited legislation that will put a stop to large-scale farm-to-forestry conversions 'For too long, productive sheep and beef farms have been replaced by pine trees in the race for carbon credits. That ends under this government,' McClay said. 'The Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme – Forestry Conversions) Amendment Bill will restrict wholesale conversions of farmland to exotic forestry by stopping LUC (Land Use Classification) 1-5 land from entering the ETS and capping new ETS registrations on LUC 6 land. 'It will also protect farmers' ability to diversify – allowing up to 25%of a farm to go into trees, while stopping the kind of blanket ETS planting that's been gutting rural communities in places like the East Coast, Wairarapa, the King Country, and Southland,' the minister added. The bill proposes time-limited transitional exemptions in rare cases for people who were in the process of afforestation prior to these changes originally being announced on December 4, 2024. The legislation is now before parliament and is to come into force October 2025. Farms Kate Acland, B+LNZ chair, said that the updated whole farm sales figures reinforce the need for action. 'While we appreciate the government's announcement this week about legislation being introduced to restrict wholesale conversions based on land use classes, the numbers show whole-farm sales for conversion to forestry for carbon credits are continuing at pace. 'Anecdotally we're still hearing of a significant number of farms being sold this year, despite the government announcing the limits last year. 'We're concerned that some sales are continuing on the basis of intent to purchase land before the limits were announced. We urgently need the government to tighten the criteria around proof of intent to purchase,' she said. Acland also highlighted the trend of land traditionally well-suited for pastoral farming being increasingly purchased for conversion. 'B+LNZ is not anti-forestry. In particular, we strongly support the integration of trees within farms, which we believe is a better approach. 'Farmers know their land and can plant the right trees in the right places, without affecting overall levels of production. 'Instead, we're seeing blanket pines replacing sustainable food production. 'We're also hearing significant concerns from neighbouring farmers about the impacts of a lack of pest and fire risk management around recently converted areas of land,' Acland said.
