Topps Tiles

Topps Tiles plc, trading as Topps Tiles, is a British national tile retailer based in Enderby, Leicestershire. The company was founded by Alan Brindle and Ted Derbyshire in 1963 and currently, employs more than 3,000 people. Topps Tiles is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

History

Topps Tiles was founded in 1963 by Alan Brindle and Edward (Ted) Derbyshire, who opened the company’s first store in Sale, Cheshire. Derbyshire had a varied career before establishing the business, having served in the RAF, worked as a salesman and dairy labourer, and been employed in the furniture industry. He identified a niche for patterned tiles that catered to the growing DIY and home improvement market, which inspired him to start Topps Tiles. Over the years, Derbyshire went on to establish 30 other businesses before retiring and selling Topps Tiles to Stuart Williams and Barry Bester in 1993.

Following its beginnings in 1963, the company continued to grow, with stores opening across the North West and the Midlands. During this time, Tile Kingdom was rapidly expanding in the South of England and, in 1990, Tile Kingdom merged with Topps Tiles, increasing the total number of Topps Tiles stores to 40 across the UK. By 1999, Topps Tiles was trading from 100 locations and was now trading as a PLC.

With a network of stores across the UK, Topps Tiles launched its e-commerce store in 2008 to bring its products to an even wider audience. In 2020, the retailer set an ambitious goal: to secure £1 in every £5 spent on tiles in the UK within five years. The organisation expanded its product lineup in 2024 by introducing Pronto, its luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring brand. As of 2024, the company operates 300 stores and continues to offer its full range of products online at www.toppstiles.co.uk.

Mergers, acquisitions and brands

Topps Tiles sits within the Topps Group. The Topps Group is formed of eight brands.

Tile Kingdom

Its first merger was with Tile Kingdom in 1990.

Parkside

In 2017, Topps Tiles acquired the commercial tile retailer Parkside.

Strata

In 2018, the company acquired another commercial tile retailer, Strata.

Pro Tiler Tools

Topps Tiles bought a 60% share in the family-owned tiling supplies business, Pro Tiler in March 2022 and announced that it intended to purchase the remaining 40% after March 2024.

Tile Warehouse

To further diversify its offerings, Topps Tiles launched a new pureplay tile retailer, Tile Warehouse, in May 2022.

CTD Tiles

In August 2024, Topps Tiles acquired CTD Tiles out of administration.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)

With over 3,000 employees, Topps Tiles is required to report its mean and median gender pay gaps. In 2023, the Group reported a median gender pay gap of 2.4% and a mean gap of 6.5%, while the retail division showed an even narrower gap, with a median of 2.3% and a mean of 2.5%. Both figures are significantly lower than the UK average, where the median pay gap is 14.3% and the mean gap is 13.2%.

Key people

In 2007, Matthew Williams was appointed CEO of Topps Tiles. He served as CEO for 12 years and spent a total of 20 years with the company before stepping down in 2019. In November 2019, the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Rob Parker, succeeded Williams as CEO.

Darren Shapland served as the tile retailer’s chairman from 2014 to 2023. During his tenure, he faced a shareholder vote after investor MS Galleon called for his removal, describing it as a “necessary step” for the business to return to growth. In October 2023, Paul Forman succeeded Shapland as the new chairman, taking over the role.

Strategic partnerships

Sponsorships

Between 2007 and 2009, Topps Tiles sponsored Leicester City Football Club's shirts. Since the 2020/21 season, Topps Tiles has been the main shirt sponsor and official partner of Leicester Tigers Rugby Club, with this agreement being extended until 2025. Outside of sports, in 2010, Topps Tiles sponsored the ITV Weather and, in 2013, sponsored Daybreak's national weather forecast programme.

Partnerships

In 2014, property expert Phil Spencer became Topps Tiles' first brand ambassador and, in 2017, property developer and TV presenter Sarah Beeny was announced as the company’s second brand ambassador.

Over the years, Topps Tiles has supported various charities. The company’s first charity partnership was with Asthma UK, followed by a partnership with Help for Heroes in 2008. From 2015 to 2022, the tile retailer partnered with Macmillan Cancer Support and, since 2022, Topps Tiles has been working with Alzheimer’s Society.

Other business activities

In 2012, just before celebrating its 50th anniversary, the company unveiled its flagship ‘lab’ store in Milton Keynes.

Continuing its focus on innovative customer experiences, Topps Tiles launched a series of boutique stores in London in 2014. The flagship boutique store in Walton-on-Thames had running costs that were three-quarters the size of a traditional Topps store and offered half of a traditional store’s Stock Keeping Units. In early 2023, Topps Tiles opened its first eco-mindful store in Guildford.

Awards

Tile of the Year

* 2022 - Flute in Dulux's Bright Skies
* 2021 - Zellica Bronze
* 2020 - Syren Midnight Blue
* 2019 - Lampas Peacock

Controversies

During the 2011 recession, shares in Topps Tiles dropped by nearly 30%, while half-year profits fell by 50% compared to the same period the previous year. Commentators attributed this decline, in part, to the growing competition from DIY retailers, which had been expanding their product offerings to include tiles, posing an increasing threat to Topps Tiles' market share.

Following its acquisition of CTD Tiles, Topps Tiles was issued an Initial Enforcement Order (IEO) by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in October 2024. The IEO prevented Topps Tiles from fully integrating CTD Tiles into its operations until the CMA had completed a review to ensure that the transaction complies with competition regulations.

References

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Retail companies of the United Kingdom
Home improvement companies of the United Kingdom
1963 establishments in the United Kingdom
Retail companies established in 1963
Companies based in Leicestershire
Companies listed on the London Stock Exchange
Companies in the FTSE SmallCap Index