Bathstore in agency hunt to run £2m stores push

Bathstore.com, the bathroom specialist owned by plumbers merchant Wolseley UK, is seeking an advertising agency to handle its creative business, worth up to &£2m.

The company is also searching for a media agency and is understood to have whittled down both lists to six shops. The process is being overseen by recently installed marketing director Phil Cochineas, who has also appointed an unnamed intermediary to help with the hunt.

Cochineas joined Bathstore.com from Screwfix Direct, the direct and online supplier of trade tools and hardware products, where he was head of business development. He would not be drawn on which agencies remain in the pitch.

Bathstore.com, which describes itself as the largest bathroom specialist in the UK, has an extensive high-street presence with 100 stores. It plans to task the successful agencies with increasing customer awareness, as it expands with the opening of a further 30 stores.

The company targets trade buyers as well as consumers, and products are available to purchase online and through a catalogue, as well as at retail outlets.