There's always an exception to the rule isn't there? Just when I'm making predictions of more and more consolidation within the industry and holding up Nobia as the prime example of a company totally focussed on acquisition it goes and flogs something - C.P. Hart to be precise.

Shows what I know.

Actually, I'm doing myself a bit of a disservice here as the writing was on the wall for Nobia and bathrooms a while ago. It was clear from its activity, as well as a recent interview I did with outgoing boss Fredrik Cappelen that it was a company with nothing but kitchens on its mind.

So fair play to C.P. Hart and new owners Richard Reynolds and Kevin Ohle for moving on with a great brand, some amazing showrooms and great products. Nobia's focus on kitchens meant that the principle advantage of being part of such a massive outfit - purchasing power - never really paid off. Plus, within the Nobia organisation it was in the same business group as Magnet and, with all respect to Magnet, the two retail operations are hardly in the same market or class.

Does this indicate anything to the industry as a whole? Well, you now have a significant new independent retailer to deal with, and one with significant plans to expand. Equally, you have a welcome qualitative confirmation that two very experienced and very shrewd businessmen obviously think there's still plenty of money to be made from independent retail - particularly top end. When many are predicting a downturn and troubled times ahead, they've made a major investment.

We're going to watch the all new C.P. Hart very carefully and it'll be interesting to hear what Reynolds and Ohle have to say when I go and interview them in a week or so for our March issue so watch out for that.

Speaking of our March issue, that's the KBB Show preview edition so it's looking like being one of the biggest we've ever done. That's great for you the reader but a total nightmare for us writers - any suggestions?