Housing boom helps Howden
Kitchen supplier Howden Joinery yesterday reported an 11.2 per cent rise in UK revenue in the first 16 weeks of the year, helped by stronger consumer spending and a recovery in the housing market. The company said like-for-like revenue for outlets open more than a year increased 8.5 per cent. Howden Joinery said it had opened six new depots in the UK since the beginning of the year, taking its total to 565 depots. It plans to open 30 new depots this year.