Focus DIY in Gillingham, ceased trading. In December 2011, the brand was bought by the Walker Group, which owns Victoria Plumb. Focus DIY Focus DIY was a privately owned chain of DIY stores in the United Kingdom. It served the consumer DIY market sector, and most stores had some form of garden centre. At its peak in 2002, it was the second largest DIY retailer in the United Kingdom, although by 2011, it was the fourth. The main competitors were B&Q, Homebase and Wickes. The company operated 178 stores in the United Kingdom with 3,000 employees, but had been running losses every
Storehouse plc Retailing' comprising the group's brands Mothercare, Richard Shops, Blazer, Anonymous and Jacadi and 'Home Furnishing' comprising Habitat, Heals, and the Conran Shop Julien retired on health grounds in 1992 and was replaced by David Dworkin the Chief Executive of British Home Stores. In 1992 Habitat was purchased from Storehouse by IKANO and Richard Shops was sold to the British retailing giant Sears plc. The Company bought Children's World from Boots in 1996, and rebranded all of their superstores Mothercare World stores. In 2000, following several years of tough trading for all companies within the group, British Home Stores was sold