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They were only featured on school sports days and village festivals, but the gazebo has become a must-have garden prop this spring as preparations for Easter gatherings spur patio furniture and accessory sales to go ‘crazy. “.
Patio furniture, kiosks, outdoor pizza ovens and fireplaces have been flying off the shelves in recent weeks as families prepare to re-enter their social lives outdoors under Covid’s ‘Rule of Six’ restrictions. From England, which restart on Monday.
Argos and John Lewis are among the big names warning customers of stockouts. The coronavirus pandemic is still causing major upheavals in the global shipping industry, and the situation could worsen in the coming weeks due to the blockage of the Suez Canal by the affected container ship Ever Given.
A notice on the Argos website states that “due to high demand we are running out of garden furniture”. John Lewis has sold out of all but eight of the 71 garden sets listed on his website, but says “more stock is expected in late April.”
The Leisure & Outdoor Furniture Association said retailers are facing a perfect storm of shipping costs and shipping delays, at a time of skyrocketing demand from consumers stranded in their homes for months. Of the current shortage of garden furniture, a spokesperson said: “It’s not like this isn’t happening, but there is a delay.”
On top of that, sales have “gone crazy” as shoppers try to buy early and thus avoid missing out, with their hopes of overseas getaways this summer starting to fade. She added, “Sales have exploded. Everyone I’ve spoken to has already hit their budget or gone way above their budget. “
The frenzy of enthusiastic household spending as it approaches an easing of outdoor socializing rules in England next week even manifested itself in official retail sales figures released on Friday, as demand non-seasonal for patio sets and DIY materials needed to create ‘exterior rooms’ Supported a main street that is reeling from third lockdown.
Online DIY market ManoMano said kiosk sales last month were almost seven times higher than in 2020, as Britons prepared to reestablish missed Christmas reunions with friends and family and back home. protect further cancellations in the event of rain. ManoMano’s range ranges from budget campers favorite kiosks, for under £ 40, to over £ 4000 for a sturdy wooden frame with a bar to lean against.
The desire to create “outdoor rooms” led to a nearly 600% increase in demand for fireplaces and outdoor heaters on the eBay trading site, which also reported that buyers were browsing listings of six-person spas as well. as outdoor bars and projectors. “Easter trees” and wreaths are also purchased to dress the gardens.
Kitchen utensil chain Lakeland said super-fast pizza ovens, such as the £ 300 Ooni Karu, which can be made in 15 minutes and cooks a 12-inch pizza in 60 seconds, are also selling. quickly.
The closures of the past year have translated into big profits for DIY chains such as B&Q, whose stores have been allowed to remain open. He estimates that homeowners have spent 31 days in the past year on home renovations and garden improvements. Sales of decorative items such as outdoor rugs increased by more than 10%, while demand for trendy outdoor tiles soared fivefold. Sales of fairy lights also increased by 56%.
In the furniture chain Cotswold Company, where sales of garden products have increased 600% this year, its managing director, Ralph Tucker, nervously watches a tracking app that shows increasing traffic jams in the Suez Canal region: “ If they can get the ship off the sandbank today, which will cause a week or two of supply chain problems. If he’s there for a week, it could cause months of trouble. “
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Lifestyle changes brought on by pandemic restrictions mean Cotswold buyers now want large sets of outdoor furniture, rather than bistro tables, and even pub-style trestle tables, Tucker said. The Manchester-based businessman, who has just erected a gazebo in his garden, said the shelters allowed households to have nicer outdoor furniture as well as outdoor kitchens or cinemas.
Retailer gazebo lines include “deluxe” options with blinds or doors and built-in lighting. There are also trendy aluminum frames with sliding roofs that can cost as much as a summer vacation.
“We have a small roof because we wanted it to be practical; it’s raining a lot in the north, ”Tucker said. “Consumers see the outdoors as a place to be entertained, not just when the sun is shining.”
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