In This Issue
That was the year that was... 2021
Large Fire at Longacres Shepperton - UPDATED
Tributes for Eddie Topping MBE, Founder, Pioneer, Dad
An Open Letter on the use of peat
We're Here For You
Blue Diamond to open the largest Home and Garden Centre in the UK
Altons BBQ World, Aylett Nurseries, Barton Grange, Baytree, Busy Bee, Groves, Pengelly, Pughs, The Old Railway Line and Squires Badshot Lea are the winners of GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards for 2020
Barton Grange Christmas 2020 - Exclusive GTN Xtra Photo Tour
£31m loss reported by Dobbies Garden Centre Group
Garden centre owners share their thoughts on being open during Lockdown 3
British Garden Centres announce 58th centre, in Harrogate, will open in April
Antony Harker to launch Altico at Glee - Read GTN's August issue on-line now
Nicholas Marshall returns... again
Four Oaks trade show director Pat Coutts sadly dies
Garden centres report busiest ever day as gardens are the focus for family re-unions this week - More comments added
Nicholas Marshalls Country House Group pulls out of Windlesham
Suez Canal blockage causes further delays for garden furniture
Joules acquires digitally led retailer Garden Trading
Easter thank you to growers, manufacturers & distributors from British Garden Centres
Elho takes top prize as GIMA Award winners announced
Sustainable decking brand invests in technology to aid its stockist partners
Bill Bickerdike, one of "the gang", has died
Westland call for reality to be brought to the peat debate
Picture Special of the glitzy GIMA Awards evening
Dobbies buy Johnsons of Boston
Government publishes plan to ban peat sales by 2024
Signs of growth for after lockdown
Has the sales volume bubble burst?
Dobbies No 71 opens in Boston, Lincolnshire
Nicholas Marshall interview and Solex On-Line Preview in GTN July 2021 Issue, live on-line now
£1.8m reward for Choice Marketing members
Smart, Kaemingk and Allensmore are Choice Marketing Suppliers of the Year
Alton's praised for tough stance on facemasks
Former LOFA secretary Phil Gibbs receives prison sentence for fraud
Blue Diamond acquires Mere Park Garden Centre
UK’s largest garden centre should get green light, say planning officers
GIMA Golf Day Photo Exclusive
Cherry Lane acquires Langford Garden Centre
Who have been the best buyers of the past eighteen months?
Industry prepares for a peat-less future
Derek Bunker adds his thanks to suppliers for "their efforts throughout this amazing period in garden centre history"
Shed prices set to soar
David Isaac says farewell to Johnsons of Boston
Europlants founder Renato Canale dies, aged 78
East Yorkshire garden centre sells for £1.5m
Petition to get Garden Centres in Scotland and Wales open again as soon as possible gains momentum, but they still need our help
BGC's Harrogate centre opens - Exclusive photo tour
Tong gets go-ahead to build £14m garden centre
57 garden centres vie for Christmas Greatness in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards
Garden Re-Leaf Day 2021 FUNdraising goes past £35k and is still growing...
With eight weeks to go until Glee 2021, show organisers unveil a new date for next year’s event
Get your copy of GTN Xtra
Online petition launched to get Welsh garden centres re-opened – sign it NOW!
Farewell to the Eddie Topping, the Preston pioneer - UPDATED
GCA Christmas competition winners announced
Martin Stewart leads industry tributes at Memorial Service for Eddie Topping
Joe Swift opens The Plant Room by Camden Garden Centre in Richmond
GIMA Charity Golf Day welcomes the industry back with a day of sunshine and friendly competition
Christmas Future Trends and GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards Winners to be announced during Glee's on-line Festive Focus Day
Alan Roper wins Director of the Year Award
After a fantastic three days at the NEC, the return to Glee "has been really special"
Boyd's 100km in a day and AMES Amble add to the Garden Re-Leaf Day FUNdraising for Greenfingers
Online garden products retailer sold to private equity firm
little dobbies opens its doors in Bristol
AMES UK invest more than £1m in infrastructure and people in response to increasing market demand
Garden Centres re-open in Scotland... and it snows!
Sue Allen and Tammy Woodhouse to Brave the Shave on Garden Re-Leaf Day
Little Dobbies brings Garden Centre Christmas and houseplants to Richmond High Street
Eddie Topping retires
LOFA reports increased freight rates and container crisis
Excited to be back at Glee - GTN September, Glee Preview Issue, on-line here
Private equity group acquires leading garden product firm
Pearson Memorial medal awarded to Adam Wigglesworth of Aylett Nurseries
Turbo charged gardening as February breaks all records
Record end to a record year, up 28% on 2020, up 17% on 2019
Industry taskforce to produce roadmap for a peat-free future
AMES UK reports record revenues in 2020
Wildlife Trusts call for immediate end to peat sales
Hillmount boss warns of disarray for gardeners in Northern Ireland as spring approaches
Christmas Future Trends at Glee's Festive Focus Day
Future proofing your garden centre for maximum flexibility and profitability
No bubble burst yet for garden centre sales volumes
Garden Kitchen by Pugh's is a unique concept
Dobbies strengthens leadership team
Hetland Garden Centre sold to Caulders
Immediate ban on peat use unrealistic, says HTA
The COVID year in numbers
Fordingbridge undertakes major work at Norfolk centre
Lull in sales before mid-Summer
New brands confirmed for Glee 2021
The new revolutionary smokeless fire pit
Pershore School Horticultural Unit, Pershore High School, Worcestershire has unwanted visitors.
Choice Marketing readies ‘Meet the Furniture Buyer’ event
The BBQ game changer!
Sales up by 49% compared to previous nine years, despite being closed for Easter Sunday
Monkton Elm and Old Railway Line scoop top Wales & West honours in GCA Awards
Expansion for family-owned garden lifestyle business
Moving on up… slowly
One good week and gardening sales get going
Glee to return in September 2021
Ho, Ho, Ho! GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards are back…for real!
Dobbies reports 51% increase in sales
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter
12 page GIMA Awards Special in GTN November/December 2021 Issue available on-line
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Garden centre owners share their thoughts on being open during Lockdown 3
No 9 Most read story in 2021 - From GTN Xtra Issue 2 2021

After the first full week of operating during lockdown 3, several garden centre owners and directors have shared their views about being allowed to be open for business.

 

Adam Wigglesworth at Aylett Nurseries said: “Three times the government has taken the specific decision to open garden centres. In May ahead of mainstream retail, in November and now last week. With the classification as “Essential” I believe they are looking at the science and evidence of the mental and physical benefits that gardening brings. As soon as the weather improves many people will be keen to get in their gardens and by being open we are facilitating that.

 

“Garden centres have been exemplars of safe retailing and we are encouraging customers to “shop and go”. Centres have packed away areas, such as their Christmas sales, to discourage browsing and because January is traditionally a quiet month customer numbers are low, allowing customers and staff even more space.  Helping to keep people busy at home, thinking and planning for lighter, brighter spring days is surely one of the things that our industry can help with.

 

“Our team are on site preparing for spring, as we would normally be, and it is vital that we are supporting our growers and suppliers by being here to receive deliveries and also to prepare to have the full range and stock that customers will need when spring and summer is here . There will not be capacity in the supply chain if goods cannot be delivered early in the year. We will be here to receive those goods and the team that are on site recognise this important issue . Organised retail areas leads to less customer queries, interactions and problems, reducing time spent in store and resulting in safer efficient shopping for all.

 

“We are offering online purchases for delivery and click and collect, but one size does not fit all. There are many customers who cannot order this way, or experience problems finding a delivery or click and collect slot from other retailers – they are pleased to be able to come in and frequently thank us for being open . Every centre will make their own decisions based on their risk assessments and circumstances – situations are changing all the time.

 

“However, we should also never take lightly the importance of the Governments view that we are “ essential retail “ and the responsibility this brings.”

 

Chris Francis at Hillier told GTN Xtra: “I fully respect any individual’s decision to do what they feel is right for their business.  I have read a number of comments recently from Mathew Bent, Adam Wigglesworth and Martin Stewart, amongst others who all make excellent comment and clearly well-judged reason as essential retailers for remaining open. The HTA have shown great leadership throughout this situation and have also made a very balanced statement.

 

“At Hillier, as a designated essential retailer,  we feel it is right to be available for our customers essential purchases. Fuel and Gas is currently our top selling product category (after food probably one of the most essential products at this time of year) closely followed by seed potatoes, seeds and propagation. Although the weather may not be conducive to spending too much time outdoors there are still the more dedicated hardy of our customers out in their gardens. Many gardeners are sowing, working in their greenhouses and generally getting ready for the moment the weather improves enough for them to spend more time outdoors.  We have received many appreciative comments from our customers that we have remained open for them and thanking us for, in their words not mine “being responsible in regards to their safety and our staff safety” with the measures we have put in place.

 

“Even in this cold weather you only have to spend an hour or two outside to know how much better it makes you feel, I am pleased we are able to assist our customers in getting outdoors and hopefully improving their mental wellbeing at such a difficult time.”

 

Gerald Ingram at Planters agreed with Derek Bunkers thoughts: "One of the things constantly at the back of my head is how hard the HTA have worked to keep us open and it’s a bit of a slap in the face for them if we close.   And as Derek suggests some have furloughed their workers simply to reduce losses in a month we would normally lose money anyway.   I also think it weakens the case for getting Welsh and Scottish centres open when English ones have volunteered to close.

 

“I appreciate Covid and how we react is a very individual response and some centres will have been touched with it more than others.   Some centres have been slow to reopen or kept their restaurants closed and it’s those same centres that have chosen to close in January and February.

 

“However its ironic that centres were heaving before Christmas with the potential hazards and now we are empty some choose to close.

 

“The teams at all three of our centres have been very supportive of staying open and inventive in ways of keeping safe at the same time delivering a first rate service.  We have been getting a lot of support on Social media for our measures etc, as well as some “how are you essential?” remarks.

 

“Interestingly one of the reasons we launched our call and collect service last March was because a lot of reptile owners are dependant on us for live and frozen food.   We are essential but not necessarily for the reasons most people think!  However, I do think seeds, plants, fruit bushes and trees, compost are all essential to the hardened gardener and those looking for an activity at home.

 

“Also, if we close we are sacrificing our trade to The Range, B&M, B&Q, Home Bargains etc, not to mention online retailers. 

 

“Fortunately, we have not had crowds descend on us just to spend an hour out of the house, however this is the first weekend so it may test that.

 

“We have split our team at Tamworth and to a degree at Bretby into two so that also helps reduce numbers in store.”

 

Charlie Grove, Groves of Bridport, who's "We Are Here for You" message to his customers has been used widely by other centres gave us his view on the situation: “Personally, I feel that garden centres should be staying open where they can. The HTA and GCA worked hard to get us open in the spring and like it or not we have been classed as an essential retailer, so we have a duty to do our best to remain open in a safe way.  We don’t have a food hall at Groves, but we do offer a large ranges of items that I would deem as truly essential such as pet food, farm supplies and household fuel as well as a traditional range of grow your own and these are all things that our customers rely on us for. I felt more uneasy about staying open during the November lockdown when our focus was Christmas.

 

“Having said that, garden centre offerings vary a lot and we all rely on different footfall drivers such as catering that are not there right now.  If you are in a particularly high COVID case area I completely understand the risk to staff verses the reward of opening just might just be too high. It’s a fine balance and we all have to be able to sleep at night.

 

“To be honest I am constantly reviewing the local situation and if I felt that the cases in our town were rising rapidly or things were becoming tense and unmanageably busy, like it was just before the first lockdown, then I would be prepared to close for the sake of our team but as things stand we have had nothing but positive feedback about staying open.  Customers are coming in for the right reasons in slow but steady numbers (I don’t have much heating in the shop, so they aren’t hanging around!) and it honestly does feel safe and under control in our centre at the moment.”

 

Sam Bosworth, who owns two garden centres in Northamptonshire also echoed Derek Bunkers comments.  “I understand we all have our own reasons for doing things, but HTA and GCA have worked so hard to get this status, it is a shame it is not being supported wholeheartedly, even if this means supported very quietly.  Some areas have bigger Covid problems than others, and our businesses are very different - plant nurseries to virtual department stores - so different approaches are understandable.

 

“It would be a desperate shame to be open now, and then get shut down when we desperately need to be open because we are not considered essential.  In reality, February through to June is when we really are essential to mental health due to our Gardening offering, a few weeks of keeping our heads down now may be essential to keeping us open in Gardening season.

 

“We all need to be stocktaking, putting Christmas stock away and getting gardening out, so it is not too difficult to serve the few customers that are venturing out, and as long as we are not actively seen to be promoting footfall at present, we should be OK.  There is no way anyone can afford to not have staff on site, so even though we may furlough some people, keeping a till open is good for everybody's sanity.”

 

Martin Stewart, Stewarts Garden Centres, adds: "It is impossible to lock the doors of a Garden Centre, walk away and turn off the lights.

 

"Plants need watering, heating needs to be on, deliveries need to be accepted in preparation for the busy spring months ahead, seasonal lines need to be packed away, admin including payroll and bill paying needs to happen. The 31st Jan is our, and many others, end of year so stock takes have to take place.

 

"Suppliers need to continue to move stock from their greenhouses and warehouse.  It cannot be simply ‘put on hold’ until later. Chaos would ensue. We have to be there to accept them. This of all years, with the disruption to the supply chain, is not the year to delay deliveries.

 

"None of the above is any different from operating an online operation except we don’t have people packing in the warehouse! People seem to forget that. Why online is deemed safer I don’t really know.

 

"By putting a till operator on we are able to serve the very few customers who are coming in. We are quiet and will remain so. What a sensible time to get those gardening essentials. Far better now than when we are busier after lockdown.

 

"Any staff that do not wish to be in are willingly furloughed, many others are keen to be in, but we don’t need many. We have so much space to socially distance and those few customers who are coming in for garden supplies are very grateful.

 

"We have so much to offer, we should not have to remind ourselves of the significant benefit of being able to enjoy working outside in your garden preparing for spring.

 

"Clearly it is for each business to decide what is best for them, their staff and customers. But for us, and we are constantly reviewing how we feel about the situation, we are remaining open."

 

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