Re-open garden centres in Scotland

Re-open garden centres in Scotland

Started
5 February 2021
Petition to
• Scottish Government and 3 others
Victory
This petition made change with 8,931 supporters!

Why this petition matters

Started by HELEN MACDONALD

Gardening is enormously important for the physical and mental well-being of many people but garden centres in Scotland are not currently allowed to open. It would be wonderful if anyone who felt positive about reopening garden centres by the beginning of March could sign this petition to ask the Scottish Government to seriously consider and debate on this subject.
Gardens and gardening keep people at home. Over half the population enjoy and benefit from gardening.  In excess of 3 million new gardeners also took up the hobby since lockdown 2020, delighting in growing in their outside space, on window sills & balconies or in living rooms with house plants.
Safety is key.  The website https://plantsnearme.hta.org.uk run by the Horticultural Trades Association asks garden centres to agree to a strict safe trading protocol ensuring first class social distancing and a safe shopping environment in large outdoor spaces. It asks for minimisation of browsing, and that centres ask customers to shop as individuals, thereby encouraging a swift visit for garden essentials only.
Our growers need help too.  Growers grow their crops for weeks and months before they can be sold.  When garden centres were closed in the lockdown of 2020  growers suffered huge losses because plants weren't reaching gardeners. Click & Collect, home delivery and mail order just don't satisfy the demand for plants in the Spring season and our British nurseries can't survive another year like 2020.

Thank you so much for your support, it really means a lot.

Helen

Victory

This petition made change with 8,931 supporters!

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Decision-Makers

  • • Scottish Government
  • • Nicola SturgeonFirst Minister
  • • Jeane FreemanCabinet Secretary for Health and Sport
  • Edward Mountain