In This Issue
Summer bonanza for garden centre sales continues
Face masks from Global Journey are a garden centre bestseller
All time high for July growing media sales
Perrywood partners with Mercury Theatre to host a performance for the plants
Summer plant sales will be better than 2018
GIMA announces virtual Buyer Connect session with British Garden Centres
Eat Out To Help Out at Dobbies
GCA and GIMA join forces to enable better communication between garden centres and suppliers
HTA and Gerald Eve continue to campaign on Scottish garden centres ratings after recent successes
Johnsons Microgreens range gets makeover for new season
DJ Turfcare is set to transform lawncare sales this autumn with new Autumn Lawn Treatment
Whartons Roses – 2020/21 catalogue now available
New plants in HTA Virtual Awards added to Joy of Plants’ library
Merchandiser/ Area representative
Plant Area Manager, Goonhavern Garden Centre, Cornwall.
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Strong start to post-lockdown recovery for garden centres according to HTA Market Update
Core garden care drives up sales
Spuds for Christmas double sales
The best of last week's
Pughs cancel their award winning Christmas Grotto for 2020
First UK visitors to Kaemingk showroom after lockdown
Woodlodge acquires Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry
Dobbies and Sainsbury’s launch grocery partnership
No financial support for English plant growers
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter
All the latest news from the world of pet products
Lily’s Kitchen unveils revamped dry pet food ranges
PetQuip Awards will recognise industry’s outstanding achievements in an innovative format for 2020
Britain's 10 million dog owners can play lead role in protecting the environment, urges top Uk eco-firm Beco
Situations Vacant
Merchandiser/ Area representative
M4 Corridor Oxford/Buckinghamshire/Berkshire, Full-time, £21k pa
 
Read more»
Plant Area Manager, Goonhavern Garden Centre, Cornwall.
Full time, permanent, £21k - £24k depending on experience
 
Read more»
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news.

Email trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 07973 504214


HTA and Gerald Eve continue to campaign on Scottish garden centres ratings after recent successes
 

James Barnes, HTA Chairman, and Gerald Eve, the HTA’s preferred partner on rating advice in Scotland, recently attended the Scottish Ratepayers Forum as part of the ongoing campaign to tackle the rates issues faced by garden centres in Scotland.  

 

The Scottish Ratepayers Forum is the key platform for trade associations and surveyors to represent businesses in Scotland to the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) and Scottish Government on the Non-Domestic Rating system in Scotland.  

Recently Gerald Eve has successfully agreed on an amendment with the SAA on the practice notes for garden centres for the 2017 revaluation. 

 

The SAA has now adopted the Net Internal Area as the basis of measurement rather than Gross External Areas, as well as introducing more flexibility in the range of categorisation of garden centres - which could lead to garden centres saving significantly on their rates. 

 

Barry McEwan, Partner, Gerald Eve said: “The changes to the Practice Notice for the 2017 revaluation is welcome news for garden centres in Scotland.

 

“This has already led to many garden centres recently being successful in their appeals, however, due to the coronavirus there has been a slowdown in the appeals processes and there are still many garden centres that are yet to have their appeals finalised.

 

“We are continuing to take forward their appeals and hope that our successful renegotiation of the practice notice will continue to save money for the garden centres that we represent.”  

 

The coronavirus lockdown has also led to a number of emerging issues in relation to Scottish Rates which the HTA and Gerald Eve will be tackling going forward. 

 

James Barnes, Chairman, HTA said: “The agreement from the SAA to alter the 2017 practice notes is a positive one for our industry and we are optimistic that this will continue to benefit many of our members who are still waiting on their 2017 appeals. 

 

“The coronavirus lockdown and the high valuation of garden centres in Scotland means that many of our members are missing out on emergency grants of up to £25,000.

 

“The grants are only eligible for garden centres with a rateable value of below £51,000. We are greatly concerned that a number of businesses who on appeal could be rated below this limit will still miss out on the grants due to the Scottish Government rules.

 

“The Scottish Government’s decision to not extend these grants to garden centres who are rated below £51,000 on appeal is cutting off otherwise eligible businesses from vital funding at an unprecedented time for our sector. 

 

“At the Scottish Ratepayers Forum this week I pushed the Scottish Government to urgently reconsider their position.

 

“We have asked the Scottish Government to reconsider the appropriateness of the ‘tone date’ for the 2022 revaluation and have requested it to be moved to a time that will better reflect the position of the market in light of the lockdown.

 

“Further to this, we have requested that the 1.6% rates relief this financial year due to COVID-19, reversing the planned increase in poundage, becomes permanent.

 

“We will continue to partner with organisations such as Gerald Eve to tackle issues with the business rates system in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.”

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Del.icio.us Digg | Comment (0)
Comment
Name:*

Email Address:*

Comment:*