In This Issue
50th Anniversary GCA Conference kicks off with £11k fundraiser for Greenfingers
£1,000 raised from auction of ten After Eight Mints during Greenfingers Team Challenge
Rising Stars prepare for Brighton finale today
Future of garden centres in the hands of a new shopper
Loose lbs and gain £'s for Garden Re-Leaf Day
Andy McIndoe appointed new Trustee at Greenfingers
Aussie bid for Homebase could intensify competition
Brantano crisis could impact garden centre concessions
'Golden Age' ahead as horticulture action plan is launched
It's getting a bit Crowdered out there....
Winter weather fuels sales of cold-weather products
Are You Still Loving Your Plot?
Christmas footfall helps lifts seeds and bulbs sales
Join GTN Xtra on the HTA Netherlands Retail Study Tour 17-19 February 2016
Improved performance halts Thompson & Morgan sales process
Third GROW London show aims to inspire city dwellers
Further growth for Harrogate Christmas & Gift
New Area Sales Manager for Town & Country
New training bursary at Thrive in memory of the late Charles Notcutt
The Greatest Awards go back on tour in 2016
Plant Area Manager (Full time, including alternate weekends)
Horticultural/Plantarea Manager (West Yorkshire)
Bedding Department Head (Full time, including alternate weekends)
Plantarea Manager/ Supervisory (Berkshire)
Plantarea Manager/Horticultural Manager/Garden Centre
Plant Area Sales Assistant (Full time, including alternate weekends)
Horticultural/Plantarea Manager (Somerset)
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Barton Grange Cookshop Rising Star Kath Bailey sets her goal on winning in Brighton
Sam Clark from Cowells is "chuffed" to be a Rising Star
From watching at Blackpool, Will Clark is now a Barton Grange Rising Star at Brighton
Jack Fillingham graduates from Sunshine training scheme to Rising Stars
Coolings Rising Star Sophie loves responsibility
Matt's over the moon to be a Rising Star at Squires
Early-bird garden product sales are disappointing
Growing media sales off to a flying start
Onions set the pace in Veg-2-Gro Bestsellers
Pictures from The Greatest Christmas Gold-winning Teams
Brookside Garden Centre
Haskins West End
Hillmount Garden Centre
Mains of Drum
Premier Decorations
Bents and Le Friquet
The Greatest Christmas Display winners
Silverbirch (Small Garden Centre Gold)
Old Railway Line (Mid-sized Garden Centre Gold)
Barton Grange (Large Garden Centre Gold)
Le Friquet (Group Garden Centre Gold)
'Make room for gnomes' urges Squire's
Groen-Direkt comes of age!
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
Situations Vacant
Plant Area Manager (Full time, including alternate weekends)
West Horsley KT24 6AR
 
Read more»
Horticultural/Plantarea Manager (West Yorkshire)
Salary: Dependent on experience
Read more»
Bedding Department Head (Full time, including alternate weekends)
West Horsley KT24 6AR
 
Read more»
Plantarea Manager/ Supervisory (Berkshire)
Salary: Dependent on experience
Read more»
Plantarea Manager/Horticultural Manager/Garden Centre
Salary: £18,000-£24,000
Read more»
Plant Area Sales Assistant (Full time, including alternate weekends)
Twickenham TW2 5PA
 
Read more»
Horticultural/Plantarea Manager (Somerset)
Salary: £20,000-£24,000
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



GTN's The Greatest Christmas Awards 2105
are sponsored by:
























Christmas footfall helps lifts seeds and bulbs sales

GTN’s analyst Trevor Pfeiffer (MD of The Garden Communication & Media Company) believes December increases in seed and bulb sales posted by GCA members were the result of increased footfall as a result of Christmas visits and the ‘extra’ week-end garden centres had in December.

The GCA’s Barometer of Trade report showed a 20.33% increase in seed and bulb sales in December compared to the same month in 2014.

“The real story for December is Christmas trading and the increased trade generated by catering,” he said. Catering was 17.41% up overall –  and food hall and farm shop sales were 20.96% up.

Simon Bourne, manager at Perrywood Garden Centre in Tiptree, Essex, said: “December 2015 was a fantastic month and followed the trend of previous months in being record breaking. We had our second busiest trading day of the year on Saturday, December 5, which was our best ever Saturday.

 “Overall sales in the garden centre were up 15% compared to December 2014 and it was our busiest December by a long way. Outdoor plants were up 10% and indoor plants were up 46%. Christmas products were a huge success and were 23% up for the period September to December compared to the previous year. The coffee shop also had a really positive month and finished 22% up compared to the same period last year.”



Ben Thompson, Director at Garsons Garden Centre, which has centres in Surrey and Titchfield, said: “Following our site redevelopment at Garsons Esher, which included a new restaurant (pictured above), catering traded 86% up during the month of December.

 “Catering at Garsons Titchfield showed growth of 14% year-on-year for the month of December. Christmas sales performed well at both stores likewise, along with giftware.”

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Del.icio.us Digg
Email Newsletter Software by Newsweaver