In This Issue
spoga+gafa 2021 is postponed to August
All sales up by 93%, plant sales up by 170%
Christmas & Gift 2021 cancelled
PATS Sandown is cancelled
SOLEX 2021 CANCELLED
Heaven Sends welcomes buyers to showroom to view new Christmas Collection
Scottish businesses and key personalities unite in call for garden centres to be re-opened
Happy sowing, happy growing, happy days!
Garden centre set to reopen in Northern Ireland
More events confirmed for Garden Re-Leaf Day 2021
Plants sales at the double
SylvaGrow Farmyard 100% Peat Free wins New Product Award
Turbo charged gardening as February breaks all records
Garden centre food hall and farm shop sales stay positive in January
Engaging 3 million new gardeners and being kind to our planet: key themes at the 2021 Virtual Garden Press Event
What Lies Ahead for 2021? - GTN's February Issue On-Line Now
Evergreen Garden Care partners with PlantSnap to make plant identification and care as simple as snap and grow!
UK’s first ‘Home of Gardening Science’ to open on June 24
Luxury, complete houseplant care solution launched
How the pandemic changed the way customers shop at their favourite garden centre
Tong supports Kirklees School with role play setting
New BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair
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
Christmas Future Trends at Glee's Festive Focus Day
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Are New Gardeners the key to gardening sales increases?
Frank P Matthews Delivers Over 4000 Japanese Flowering Cherry Trees
The natural way to protect Box plants
Double bubble for Growing Media
Highest weekly turnover in ten years at Royal Flora Holland
68% turaround for Veg-2-Gro sales in February
She Grows Veg launches first book to promote “beautiful and bountiful” growing
HTA reacts to Chancellor's budget
The best of last week's
February sales - 37% above average - Gardening is Essential!
Hillier Nurseries bidding farewell to 2021 Chelsea Flower Show
Dobbies reports 51% increase in sales
Half term sales set course for a record February
Going from strength to strength
Why choose Meadow View Stone?
Hayes Garden World launches online Grow Your Own range
Bents introduces new virtual shopping service
The GIMA Awards are back!
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Barton Grange Christmas 2020 - Exclusive GTN Xtra Photo Tour
Squires Badshot Lea - Christmas 2020
Perrywood at Christmas 2020 - with correct photo gallery now...
British Garden Centres open their 58th centre at Thatcham
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
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All the latest news from the world of pet products
Natures Menu celebrates 40th anniversary
Pawfect Foods launches Nature’s Feast
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Garden centre food hall and farm shop sales stay positive in January

The Food Hall and Farm Shops category within garden centres saw positive sales during January (2021) according to the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Barometer of Trade report.

 

Garden centres in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland remained closed during the month, which affected the overall picture greatly, however centres in England were permitted to remain open as essential retailers.

 

Iain Wylie, GCA Chief Executive, explained: “January was a bit of a bleak month for everyone. Despite it being a brand-new year, we all found ourselves back in lockdown after Christmas and unfortunately, the respective devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland ordered garden centres to close for the month and unfortunately, they still remain closed, with little news on when they might be open again.

 

“Consequently, the national figures for the month are very disappointing and there were decreases in many categories for centres in England too. A few English centres in the highest Covid risk areas took the understandable decision to close for a few weeks out of concern for the safety of their teams and the local community. Cafés and restaurants drive footfall in January and hospitality remains closed. It should also be noted that with many centres selling out of Christmas products in December and centres not running their usual January sales, this was also another footfall catalyst not present this year.

 

“The weather was, at best, miserable so in many ways it was encouraging to see people continue getting outside and tending to their plots for their health and wellbeing and in readiness for spring.

 

“Garden centres have become one-stop shops, so people could get their essential gardening items and also food and produce from food hall and farm shop departments, while also purchasing gardening necessities. Because of this, food hall and farm shop sales for the month were up 6.48%.

 

“All of the remaining categories were down for the month, however this is completely understandable as people wished to remain at home as much as possible and to follow Government guidelines during the lockdown. Also, we’ve had plenty of inclement weather including gales, heavy rain and snow, which has kept people indoors and unable to garden.”

 

Sales in houseplants were down -17.5%, outdoor plants were down -49.29%, seed and bulb sales were down -18.32% and garden sundries sales were down -27.16%.

 

Furniture and barbecue sales were down -33.28%, sales in pets and aquatics were down -29.24%, gift sales were down 46.44% and hard landscaping sales were also down -27.46%.

 

Iain added: “Although centres in England have been open, their restaurants and cafés have remained closed and so catering sales were down -96.68%. Clothing sales were also down -54.15%.”

 

Overall sales for the month were down -55.32% with a year-to-date change of -55.32%.

 

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.

 

The BoT reports allow members to compare their trading positions with other centres.

 

The GCA represents nearly 200 garden centres nationwide.

 

Through sharing information and its inspection programme the GCA helps members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.

 

For further information, please call 01244 952170. Alternatively, please visit www.gca.org.uk, log on to www.facebook.com/pages/GardenCentreAssociation or follow the organisation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GC_Association.

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