EDITOR'S COMMENT Power to the people

 Kitchens & Bathrooms News
Editor, Philippa Turrell

As a resident of one of the hardest riot hit areas, Croydon, I can’t fail to mention the recent atrocities which have taken place throughout the UK’s cities. People have been justifiably outraged at the mentality of this wilful and malicious mob. Left in their wake has been complete and utter devastation, with property, livelihoods and even lives left in ruins. According to Businesszone.co.uk, One in 10 UK retail businesses has been affected.  I hope that all your bathroom and kitchen showrooms have remained unscathed.  But it’s good to hear of communities pulling together, with ‘riot wombles’ cleaning up the aftermath. Distributor BCG is also offering support to affected kitchen and bathroom businesses by providing ‘anything and everything’. It just shows the power of joining forces…

In our industry there has been some concern about a recent ‘coming together’ of ‘forces’, resulting in the Kitchen & Bathroom Forum. It is a group of nine industry associations: Builders Merchants Federation; Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances; Furniture Industry Research Association; Society of British Interior Designers; Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom Installers; Bathroom Manufacturers Association; Kitchen, Bathroom, Bedroom Specialists Association; National Training Group and National Association Professional Installers and Testers.

If its motive is just for sharing knowledge between bathroom and kitchen associations – fine – just another talk shop. But with all these parties in one room, I’ve questioned if this Forum proposes to act as ‘one voice’ instigating industry change. “One Voice – Not us”, the members of the Forum retorted in unison. Yes, that irony wasn’t completely lost on me, either.

I’m sure all these associations represent their members well. In fact that’s not a point in question. But who ‘voted’ or ‘elected’ these bodies to come together? And what about those individuals in the industry that don’t belong to any of them, how will they be represented, if at all? While, I clearly don’t believe in mob rules, I do believe that ALL those working in the industry should have an input into its future direction.

But they’ve already suggested that they want to work together to resolves issues, improve standards and perhaps engage with government. How do they propose to go about it if not speaking together or as A voice? And who ‘elected’ these bodies to come together to do that very job? What about the individuals in the industry that don’t belong to any of these bodies, how will their ideas be represented if at all? There’s lots of questions but at the moment not many answers. While, I don’t believe in mob rules, I do think that ALL those working in the industry should have an input into its future.