Sorry to upset all you scrooges out there, but there really is just 106 days until Christmas!
This year really has flown by and it’s crazy to think that the schools have already gone back and the heating is going back on in people’s homes. But here we are in September and window companies are already thinking about the end of this year.
On reflection of the year so far, it’s been a bit of a topsy turvy one. The year began with a spine-chilling big freeze which lasted all the way up to Easter. In fact this Easter saw some of the worst snowfall in parts of the UK for decades. Everyone will remember the heartbreaking images of farmers in Wales, England and Northern Ireland digging out their animals from 12 feet of snow on the hillsides. It really was a very harsh and crippling few months. It also put a huge damper on business. I don’t think anyone will disagree with me that the long winter set our industry back a few months after a very strong last 6 months of 2012.
Still, the UK eventually thawed out in early April and people started to look forward to some sun and some warmth. And it duly came. It was a very late start to Spring but as people started to venture out of their homes, they started to look at what was needed for their houses. So the industry started to gear up once again for what we hoped would be another improving year. There was definitely some bounce back after the long Winter where people had been waiting for the weather to break.
Happily, after seven years of wet, drab summers, we have been treated to a pretty decent summer. In fact it was that good we even had heatwave alerts! The heat and the sun has certainly cheered the UK up after a pretty rough few years. And in turn, the high streets and business in general has benefited from a big boost. Window installers have been busy with plenty of leads and fitting schedules have been filled many weeks in advance. The weather really does have an impact on our industry and thankfully we have been treated to a good one.
But, all good things have to come to an end and Autumn is now most definitely here. Kids are back at school now which means parents can switch their focus back to home life and getting right all the little things that niggle them about their home. This is also the time where people start to think about changing their windows and doors before the weather turns much colder and we near Christmas.
All being well we are going to see another late and sustained surge, like we did in 2012. I don’t think it will be as strong as it was last year. I think that was more of a blip rather than a genuine sign of recovery. However, if business can remain brisk right up until Christmas, our industry can be confident that the coming years, providing the economy stays on the right track, could be some of the best years some of us will have had for decades.
