In This Issue
Cowells saved from becoming a housing estate
“Business as usual” at up-for-sale Wyevale Garden Centres, admits CEO
May is a record for garden centre sales volumes... but only just
Business as usual at fire-ravaged Strikes within weeks
Total plant sales for May up by 21%
GIMA Golf & Activity Day a resounding success
John Athwal celebrates in true Premier style
Highfield Garden World welcomes third generation
Marathon walk to raise cash for Macmillan Cancer Support
Morrisons store reveals plans for garden centre
April was a rollercoaster month for garden centre sales
Plans to double size of Otter garden centre
Kent & Stowe launch 'Dig for Victory' gift range with Imperial War Museum
Bransford Webbs gears up for HTA National Plant Show
Extensive trialling leads Syngenta Flowers to resilient Imara impatiens walleriana
EU's PEST committee must separate fact from fiction
Help pondkeepers prepare for Summer with Tetra
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Pet firm fined £30,000 for supplying ‘fire-risk’ cushions to garden centre
Garden products up by 6% but 25% below record high
No making up of lost ground for Veg-2-Gro sales
Record May for Growing Media volumes
31 Novelties for the Novelty showcase at Garden Trials and Trade
Johnsons extends range to follow growing organic trend
Worfield Plants introduce new sales executive ahead of HTA show
Plantarium 2018: the ideal place to present your company
Wyevale Nurseries staff celebrate promotions
David Domoney shares ‘Grow Your Own’ knowledge with Mr Fothergill’s sales force
The best of last week's
Record-breaking month for up-for-sale Wyevale
Garden centre business back to normality...almost!
Gardman lands on National TV for the first time
LOFAssured initiative gains strength
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Abundance of inspiration from HTA Catering Conference
Squire’s serves up a delicious Wimbledon Cream Tea
Tong's Catering Supervisor recognised as a Rising Star
Send us your news and great ideas

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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



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“Business as usual” at up-for-sale Wyevale Garden Centres, admits CEO

 

Wyevale Garden Centre CEO Roger Mclaughlan has revealed to GTN Xtra that it’s “business as usual” while the company considers offers on its 145 centres.

 

Owner Terra Firma announced last month that the garden centre group was officially up for sale either as a whole, as sub groups or as individual garden centres. Christie & Co, the agents handling the sale,  have placed a June 26 deadline for first round bids.

 

Wyevale Garden Centres achieved record-breaking sales figures during May, and Roger Mclaughlan was quick to point out the centres were performing well in the current climate.

 

How pleased are you with the way the group is performing at the moment?

We are very pleased with our performance. Customers are reacting well to the changes we have made, and we are delighted to have delivered a record breaking May performance.

 

Is there a danger that this level of performance could drop during 'for sale' process?

Our focus is 'business as usual'. We are well set up for peak trading, and all colleagues are focused on ensuring we continue to deliver best-in-class retail experiences for our customers.

 

How are you keeping staff morale high during a period of uncertainty?

Great people are at the heart of our business. As part of our turnaround strategy, we've invested in our colleagues and our customers are already seeing the difference. We believe that any future owner would see the value in our colleagues. We have held conversations with our colleagues across the business since the sale was announced and very much believe in the importance of maintaining an open dialogue with them to ensure any concerns they may have are addressed directly.

 

Do you have a current winning formula throughout your portfolio of garden centres?

Our current strategy is focused on building and strengthening the fundamentals of our business and delivering a more compelling customer proposition and experience. We have improved ranges, increased stock availability, and delivered exceptional garden centres standards. This has been delivered through the focus on our strategic goals of investing in people, upgrading systems and controls as well as improving the supply chain process.

 

How important will it be for any prospective buyer(s) of your garden centres to take this formula on board in future?

We believe that any prospective buyer will see the value in the strategy we've set out and implemented over the last two years, including investment in our people, the core infrastructure, systems and processes of the business.

 

Is your main focus still on driving the business forward until any sale is agreed?

Yes, we are very much committed to continuing the implementation of our turnaround strategy and running our business for the benefit of our colleagues and customers. Our focus is 'business as usual' and customer experience sits at the heart of our strategy and that has not changed.

 

Do you hope to remain with the business in future?

Together with Anthony Jones, Chief Financial Officer, I will continue to lead the business.

 

Full details of all Wyevale centres can be accessed via a website: www.wyevalegardencentres.christie.com. By registering on the site and completing a Non Disclosure Agreement, interested parties will have all the relevant information about the sites so that offers can be placed by the end of the first round process on June 26th.

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