In This Issue
The Chelsea effect may help monthly sales figures end on high
Bring the indoors out with the Garden Fireplace from Schiedel Chimney Systems
Haskins celebrates 25 years at Ferndown
Veg plants are cream of the crop
Garden centre burglar helps himself to slice of cake and Fanta
200 reasons to visit Ball Colegrave's Summer Showcase
B&M aims for gardening and Christmas sales growth
1.5 million visited Keukenhof in 8 weeks
Zest 4 Leisure takes P&O Ferrymasters on board for national deliveries
5-star Dobbies win Chelsea Best Trade Stand award
GIMA to launch bespoke consumer trends report
Vernon Kay to host 2019 GIMA Awards
Hillier celebrates 74th consecutive Chelsea gold
Students' Chelsea display done to a tea!
Veg grower scoops twelfth gold on Chelsea return
Tong launches competition to support literacy project
Chelsea 'Help Children Grow' stand wins bronze medal
Final ascent beckons for Team Klondyke climbers
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
DLF invests to develop lawncare products that will resist climate change
Peak sales for garden products
Peak week for growing media sales
Springwatch starts to help Wild Bird Care
Records broken for veg sales
The best of last week's
Greenfingers garden wins Silver-Gilt - Golds for Taylors Bulbs, Hilliers - See GTN's photos from a star studded Chelsea Press Day
How to grow sales of horticultural products
Hillier celebrates 74th consecutive Chelsea gold medal
Garden Pride – Spring Success!
Garden Centre Tour - Mahoney Garden Centre, Boston, USA
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Forest Lodge
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Notcutts Norwich
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Baytree of Hilgay
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Blue Diamond Bicester Avenue
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Hillier Botley
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Notcutts Woodbridge reveals plans for restaurant transformation
Commercial Kitchen reveals Innovation Challenge contenders
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Haskins celebrates 25 years at Ferndown
Chairman Warren chalks up 50 years in charge - and says another acquisition is in his sights

Haskins Garden Centre at Ferndown is celebrating its 25th anniversary – in the year chairman Warren Haskins has chalked up 50 years since he took over the family retail nursery.

 

The family-run garden centre group has grown from a small market garden in Branksome to four centres across Dorset, Hampshire and West Sussex. Turnover has gone from £17,000 in 1969 to more than £32 million and the number of employees from seven to more than 600. Warren says acquisition of a fifth centre is on the cards in the near future.

 

 “When we opened the doors to our Ferndown centre, more than ten times the amount of people we expected to turned up,” Warren said.

 

“Over the years, Haskins has ridden the humps of recession and I put our continued success down to the fact we have never and will not rest on our laurels.”

 

 

Haskins was founded in 1882 by Harry James Haskins, Warren’s great grandfather. Warren decided to open a small garden centre shop at Trickett's Cross in Ferndown and moved to the site at Longham in 1994 to accommodate the company's growing popularity. This new 10-acre site and £4 million development, offered an extensive range of plants and gardening accessories, 560 parking spaces and a 230-seater restaurant.

 

Three generations of the Haskins family cut the ribbon on the day the Ferndown centre officially opened - Warren, his mother, and Warren's three children, aged 10, 11 and 14 (pictured on cover page). Fast forward to 2019 and the Ferndown restaurant now seats 530 people.

 

The very first member of staff that Warren employed in 1969 was Richard Tite, who took on the role of production manager. Richard was eventually appointed a director and remains close friends with Warren.

 

Warren added: "Gardening remains the biggest single recreational pursuit in the country and so we're hoping to acquire a fifth garden centre in the near future, but in the meantime will continue to focus on the development of our Snowhill centre which is currently being redeveloped and will open in spring 2020. The business constantly impresses me with what it achieves.”

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