In This Issue
That was the year that was... 2021
Large Fire at Longacres Shepperton - UPDATED
Tributes for Eddie Topping MBE, Founder, Pioneer, Dad
An Open Letter on the use of peat
We're Here For You
Blue Diamond to open the largest Home and Garden Centre in the UK
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 for 2020
Barton Grange Christmas 2020 - Exclusive GTN Xtra Photo Tour
£31m loss reported by Dobbies Garden Centre Group
Garden centre owners share their thoughts on being open during Lockdown 3
British Garden Centres announce 58th centre, in Harrogate, will open in April
Antony Harker to launch Altico at Glee - Read GTN's August issue on-line now
Nicholas Marshall returns... again
Four Oaks trade show director Pat Coutts sadly dies
Garden centres report busiest ever day as gardens are the focus for family re-unions this week - More comments added
Nicholas Marshalls Country House Group pulls out of Windlesham
Suez Canal blockage causes further delays for garden furniture
Joules acquires digitally led retailer Garden Trading
Easter thank you to growers, manufacturers & distributors from British Garden Centres
Elho takes top prize as GIMA Award winners announced
Sustainable decking brand invests in technology to aid its stockist partners
Bill Bickerdike, one of "the gang", has died
Westland call for reality to be brought to the peat debate
Picture Special of the glitzy GIMA Awards evening
Dobbies buy Johnsons of Boston
Government publishes plan to ban peat sales by 2024
Signs of growth for after lockdown
Has the sales volume bubble burst?
Dobbies No 71 opens in Boston, Lincolnshire
Nicholas Marshall interview and Solex On-Line Preview in GTN July 2021 Issue, live on-line now
£1.8m reward for Choice Marketing members
Smart, Kaemingk and Allensmore are Choice Marketing Suppliers of the Year
Alton's praised for tough stance on facemasks
Former LOFA secretary Phil Gibbs receives prison sentence for fraud
Blue Diamond acquires Mere Park Garden Centre
UK’s largest garden centre should get green light, say planning officers
GIMA Golf Day Photo Exclusive
Cherry Lane acquires Langford Garden Centre
Who have been the best buyers of the past eighteen months?
Industry prepares for a peat-less future
Derek Bunker adds his thanks to suppliers for "their efforts throughout this amazing period in garden centre history"
Shed prices set to soar
David Isaac says farewell to Johnsons of Boston
Europlants founder Renato Canale dies, aged 78
East Yorkshire garden centre sells for £1.5m
Petition to get Garden Centres in Scotland and Wales open again as soon as possible gains momentum, but they still need our help
BGC's Harrogate centre opens - Exclusive photo tour
Tong gets go-ahead to build £14m garden centre
57 garden centres vie for Christmas Greatness in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards
Garden Re-Leaf Day 2021 FUNdraising goes past £35k and is still growing...
With eight weeks to go until Glee 2021, show organisers unveil a new date for next year’s event
Get your copy of GTN Xtra
Online petition launched to get Welsh garden centres re-opened – sign it NOW!
Farewell to the Eddie Topping, the Preston pioneer - UPDATED
GCA Christmas competition winners announced
Martin Stewart leads industry tributes at Memorial Service for Eddie Topping
Joe Swift opens The Plant Room by Camden Garden Centre in Richmond
GIMA Charity Golf Day welcomes the industry back with a day of sunshine and friendly competition
Christmas Future Trends and GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards Winners to be announced during Glee's on-line Festive Focus Day
Alan Roper wins Director of the Year Award
After a fantastic three days at the NEC, the return to Glee "has been really special"
Boyd's 100km in a day and AMES Amble add to the Garden Re-Leaf Day FUNdraising for Greenfingers
Online garden products retailer sold to private equity firm
little dobbies opens its doors in Bristol
AMES UK invest more than £1m in infrastructure and people in response to increasing market demand
Garden Centres re-open in Scotland... and it snows!
Sue Allen and Tammy Woodhouse to Brave the Shave on Garden Re-Leaf Day
Little Dobbies brings Garden Centre Christmas and houseplants to Richmond High Street
Eddie Topping retires
LOFA reports increased freight rates and container crisis
Excited to be back at Glee - GTN September, Glee Preview Issue, on-line here
Private equity group acquires leading garden product firm
Pearson Memorial medal awarded to Adam Wigglesworth of Aylett Nurseries
Turbo charged gardening as February breaks all records
Record end to a record year, up 28% on 2020, up 17% on 2019
Industry taskforce to produce roadmap for a peat-free future
AMES UK reports record revenues in 2020
Wildlife Trusts call for immediate end to peat sales
Hillmount boss warns of disarray for gardeners in Northern Ireland as spring approaches
Christmas Future Trends at Glee's Festive Focus Day
Future proofing your garden centre for maximum flexibility and profitability
No bubble burst yet for garden centre sales volumes
Garden Kitchen by Pugh's is a unique concept
Dobbies strengthens leadership team
Hetland Garden Centre sold to Caulders
Immediate ban on peat use unrealistic, says HTA
The COVID year in numbers
Fordingbridge undertakes major work at Norfolk centre
Lull in sales before mid-Summer
New brands confirmed for Glee 2021
The new revolutionary smokeless fire pit
Pershore School Horticultural Unit, Pershore High School, Worcestershire has unwanted visitors.
Choice Marketing readies ‘Meet the Furniture Buyer’ event
The BBQ game changer!
Sales up by 49% compared to previous nine years, despite being closed for Easter Sunday
Monkton Elm and Old Railway Line scoop top Wales & West honours in GCA Awards
Expansion for family-owned garden lifestyle business
Moving on up… slowly
One good week and gardening sales get going
Glee to return in September 2021
Ho, Ho, Ho! GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards are back…for real!
Dobbies reports 51% increase in sales
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter
12 page GIMA Awards Special in GTN November/December 2021 Issue available on-line
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news.

Email trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 07973 504214

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Record end to a record year, up 28% on 2020, up 17% on 2019
No 73 Most read story in 2021 - From GTN Xtra Issue 50 2021

Garden Centre sales during the first week of December 2021 reached a new seasonal high, up by 8% on the same week in both 2020 and 2019, according to Epos data analysed every week by GTN Bestsellers.

 

With just two full weeks of trading left for the year, the GTN Bestsellers volume garden centre sales index for the year to date now sits at 28% up on 2020 and 17% up on 2019. 

 

Record high for November 2021

November 2021 garden centre sales volumes overall set a new record high for the month according to the Epos data analysed every week by GTN Bestsellers.  Sales of all barcoded products were 4% higher than 2020 and 14% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

 

And that’s despite the last week of November being slightly down on last year by 5%. With three full trading weeks left for the calendar year, year to date sales volumes are now 18% up on 2019 levels.  It would appear garden centres are still winning the hearts and minds of shoppers.  Long may that continue.

 

Plants up by 27%

 

November 2021 plant sales were up by 27% on 2019 in the GTN Bestsellers weekly Epos data.

 

The total for the month was down by 4% on last year, but the comparison to pre-pandemic levels is the indicator everybody will be watching for potential long term market growth.

 

Garden Products down in November

 

The Top 50 Garden Products sales volumes are the one area where sales have not matched the overall sales growth post pandemic.

 

November Top 50 volumes this year were 11% down on 2020 levels and 35% down on 2019 levels when some new garden lighting lines sold in high volumes. 

 

Growing extending through to winter

 

November’s Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes were 13% down on 2020 but 44% up on 2019 indicating a continued growth in growing activity from new gardeners and more keener gardeners who are extending their growing activity right though to winter.

 

Christmas in November up by 9% vs 2019

 

Last week didn’t quite meet the record high of last year for the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Christmas sales volume index but overall for November Christmas sales were 9% up on 2019 levels and just 2% down on last year.

 

Given the clamour to buy Christmas last year after #lockdown 1 and the issues with quite a lot of Christmas stock arriving late this year everyone we’ve met over the past few weeks is suitably happy with their Christmas trading this year.

 

Veg 2 Gro sales a good omen for next Spring

 

Veg 2 Gro sales, albeit small volumes at this time of the year were up by 20% on last year for the month of November, and up by 43% on November 2019.  If core veg growing is an indicator of keenness, this is a good omen for next spring.

 

Mild November hits Wild Bird Care sales

 

Wild Bird Care sales suffered from the mild start to November and closed the month 17% down on 2020 levels.  Garden Centres will be hoping that sales bounce back now that cold weather has set in.

 

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 48.

  • Garden Products Top 50 – down 14%
  • Growing Media Top 50 – down 25%
  • Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 7%
  • Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 11%
  • Christmas Top 50 – down 2%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week in 2020: week 48

•           All Plants with Barcode index – down 17%

•           All Items with Barcode index – down 5%

 

 

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week in the GTN Bestsellers printed newsletter.  Subscribe for just £145 a year using this link.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Del.icio.us Digg | Comment (0)
Comment
Name:*

Email Address:*

Comment:*