Easy Bathrooms has set out its growth plans, announcing it is stepping up its store roll-out, with ambitions to open 60 more showrooms by the end of 2023, adding to the 117 it already operates, as it plans to reach £130m in turnover.
The retailer was founded in 2012, and has grown rapidly during the last two years, having opened 69 stores since the start of the pandemic, averaging 2.5 new stores per month.
17 showrooms have been opened in 2022 so far, and the retailer is on track to hit £93m in turnover this year, with a 47% increase on 2021 (£63.3m).
The announcement comes as Easy Bathrooms builds a new, £10m, 330,000 sq ft state-of-the-art distribution and logistics hub in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, which will open in autumn. Further investment is being made into technology initiatives.
Craig Waddington, founder, and majority shareholder said it had ramped up its showroom footprint during COVID, to strengthen its post-pandemic position.
“We have made a better-than-expected start to 2022. Our sales in the last 12 months have hit £54m and in this financial year we expect that to increase to £93m. We are well placed to keep growing, and we are proud that our growth trajectory means we will keep creating much needed jobs, each and every week.”
Easy Bathrooms employs 680 staff and announced earlier this year that its new HQ and showroom roll-out would increase its headcount by 250 by the end of 2023, which is expected to make it the largest employer in the bathroom market.
“The high street is changing,” continued Craig. “And I’m often asked why we keep rolling stores out when others are closing theirs, and the honest answer is, what other bathroom brands do you know where the price is right, the quality is good, the range of choice is wide, you can browse the products before choosing them, and, whether you’re in Leeds or London, there’s likely to be a store near you? We are creating what the customer wants – we put them at the heart of our strategy, and it’s paying off.
“By opening new showrooms, we’re creating the opportunity for more customers to shop with us, whilst investing into our online store too, for those without a showroom close to them yet. We’re excited to provide new customers with access to our award-winning products and unbeatable value.”
Simultaneously, Easy Bathrooms’ current HQ in Birstall – a 110,000 sq ft site – will be repurposed into the largest bathroom and tile destination in the UK.
1,500 new product lines will also be introduced by the end of the year, with its next catalogue due out next month.
