In This Issue
6 Weeks ‘til Christmas Day... Easy Ways to Boost Festive Sales!
Blooms Garden Centre ditch scouts who run Santa’s Grotto
Do you have The Greatest Christmas Pet Team?
Remembrance provides fuel for Wild Bird Care sales
Rosebourne team excited by work starting on new Hampshire centre
HTA Marketing Forum hailed as a huge success
Garden centres get into the swing of Christmas
Reindeer herald magic of Christmas at Webbs
Squire's run 'Decorate A Christmas Tree' school contest
Vote for your Greatest Christmas Supplier of the Year
Book your tickets for GTN’s Greatest Christmas Party
Field Sales Support (Vivid Arts Ltd) - ideal location East / South Manchester with access to M60
Key Accounts Manager – Outdoor Living
Plantarea Horticultural Manager - Berkshire
Contracts Manager – Leeds Area
Garden Centre Sundries Shop Manager - Northamptonshire
Garden Centre Homewares and Gifts Manager – NE England
Seed specialist pays £1,000 for 3-storey sunflower
A good week for Smart Garden Products
Garden centre customers get into the Christmas spirit
Farmyard manure and bark still in demand
Retail guru from Germany to inspire GCA members
Notcutts announces growth in profit as part of ongoing redevelopment strategy
Marketing director Paula Parker quits Scotts after latest re-structuring
Gardman announce appointment of new CEO
Outdoor categories performed well in October
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Luke Johnson, Simon Kossoff and Steve Richards lead Casual Dining’s 2016 Keynote line-up
Situations Vacant
Field Sales Support (Vivid Arts Ltd) - ideal location East / South Manchester with access to M60
OTE £24k
Read more»
Key Accounts Manager – Outdoor Living
Substantial basic salary, bonus scheme & company car
Read more»
Plantarea Horticultural Manager - Berkshire
Salary: £18,000 - £24,000
Read more»
Contracts Manager – Leeds Area
Salary: £28,000 - £35,000
Read more»
Garden Centre Sundries Shop Manager - Northamptonshire
Salary: £20,000 - £24,000
Read more»
Garden Centre Homewares and Gifts Manager – NE England
Salary: £15,000 - £20,000
Read more»
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news.  Email neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk, or trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 01733 775700


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Book your tickets for GTN's Greatest Christmas Party on Sunday January 10th 2016 here


Outdoor categories performed well in October


Customers at garden centres across the country were buying furniture and outdoor plants during October and early indictations of Christmas sales are good according to the Garden Centre Association’s Barometer of Trade (BoT) results.
 
There was a 26.82% rise in sales of furniture and barbecues compared to 2014 and outdoor plants were up 17.59%. Clothing was also a good seller at 9.20% up.
 
Iain Wylie, GCA Chief Executive, explained: “As the festive season approaches, the early indications show Christmas sales are looking positive and there is the potential for a good season ahead. While the headline 10% increase may not be as high as other categories such as furniture and barbecues, the average sales value for the Christmas category is seven times greater and the value of the increase is three times as great.
 
“It’s interesting to see sales of furniture and barbecues up at this time of the year. Because of the season we expect people to be purchasing items such as fire pits, outdoor heating and lighting and cosier seating so they can still enjoy their gardens before the very bitter weather sets in.
 
“Strong outdoor plant figures show people have potentially been busy preparing their plots with plants ideal for colder weather and that produce some much needed winter colour such as shrubs and evergreens.
 
“Clothing has been one of the top selling categories for the past few months, which is proving how garden centres are becoming real destinations with an increasingly diverse product range.”
 
For the month of October the overall garden centre performance was up by 11% with a Year to Date change of 7.5%.
 
Sales in catering were 14.48% up compared to the same month in 2014 while Food Hall and Farm Shop sales were 11.51% up. Sales in gifts were up 9.74%.
 
The BoT results are the only official GCA trading figures to be released.
 
The GCA BoT reports are compiled using actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement. They are made available mid-month following the end of the prior month after all member garden centres have submitted their results.
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