In This Issue
Bunnings No 2 - exclusive picture tour
Garden centres count the cost of Easter Sunday closing
Woodstock Chimes – musical perfection with a Lifetime Tuning Guarantee
Growing is on the up at Aylett Nurseries
Transformation of garden centre into shopping complex
Westland Gro-Sure TV campaign starts this week
We're committed to retailers says T&M's new owner
Dramatic van fire at Perrywood caught on video
From Mosquito Bombers to first UK garden centres
Chessington expands into lucrative new business areas
A month later the Scotsdales' Plant-a-thon comes to an end
EGO ramps up its petrol takeover with sponsorship of Britain’s Best Lawn 2017
Pictures from Garden Re-Leaf Day Down Under
Easter Flowers at the Vatican
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
No rush to appoint new CEO at HTA
Plants lead the way at Easter
Celebrated jump jockeyto host GIMA Charity Golf and Activity Day Dinner
Lights and lawns take the spotlight
Fern sales up 44% year on year, say Wyevale Nurseries
Tomato plants outsell pot geraniums
Easter closure hits growing media growth
Selbooks Ltd takes over Selnews
GIMA names awards judging panel
Hillier's Chelsea garden will feature a Memory Tree
Babycare changing room wins award for Dobbies Edinburgh
Royal FloraHolland trades 12.5 billion flowers and plants in 2016
13 orchid growers combine their inspiration during Orchid Inspiration Days
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
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Email neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk, or trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 01733 775700


Garden centres count the cost of Easter Sunday closing


After a long period of great gardening weather which continued over the Easter weekend this year, the sales data analysed by GTN for Bestsellers gives us the best indication of the cost of losing a whole day’s trading at a time when our customers are in the mood to decorate their gardens and prepare for the summer.

Sales last week dropped by 0.8%, but with six less trading hours due to Easter Sunday closing sales levels could have been at least 10% higher and closer to the levels of the first Easter week in 2015. Then, the picture was disrupted because of bad weather at the end of March into April which held back sales in advance of Easter.

Of course we can’t see the full picture of Easter trading until we complete the analysis of this week’s sales but according to Andy Bunker at Alton Garden Centre “it is the best plant trading Easter since 2011.

"The difference is quality not quantity and really strong sales in nursery stock on lines like Lavenders and Erysium, most at over £10.00 a purchase, so that’s good money.”

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year...
  • Garden Products - up 15%
  • Veg-2-Gro - up 45%
  • Growing Media - up 24%
  • All Plants Index - up 15%
  • All Items Index - up 14%
To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk
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