In This Issue
Exeter garden centre stays open but cannot sell plants - Cherry Lane close all centres
Horticultural Sector Worth £1.4 Billion Could Be Wiped Out By Coronavirus Shut Down In Just Weeks
Calling all businesses in garden retailing to sign HTA/RHS/NFU petition
Orangutan Books specialise in extremely high-quality bespoke gift books for your Christmas event
For sale - A long Established Garden Centre Business
Stay safe and well
40th Annual GIMA Awards Cancelled
National Plant Show Cancelled
Perennial prepares for increase in demand as Coronavirus (COVID-19) hits UK horticulture workers and businesses
How the humble houseplant became the garden industry’s fastest growth category
Glee at home
GTN Bestsellers Garden Re-Leaf Subscription Offer
WIldlife world
The HTA announces a subscription payment holiday for all members
Keukenhof will not open in 2020
How Primeur’s charity partnerships are making a difference
Huge surge in seed sales
Evergreen Garden Care, helping hands to combat coronavirus
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Record week for Growing Media sales
Growing peaks before the fall
Plant sales almost double before lockdown
Wild Bird Care benefits from pre-lockdown boom
Dig for Victory sends Veg sales soaring
Christmas Grotto Gift Books
The best of last week's
Garden Centres close their doors "We want to be part of stopping the spread of Coronavirus"
Dobbies remain open and social media gets heated
Pop up Veg shops - Garden Centres help ease pressure on buying fresh food
Dobbies close their centres this morning
David Domoney gives garden centre delivery services a lift on national radio
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
Casual Dining & Commercial Kitchen cancelled until 2021
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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


Calling all businesses in garden retailing to sign HTA/RHS/NFU petition

The HTA have created a lobbying alliance for horticulture with the NFU and RHS.

 

Boyd Douglas-Davies explained to GTN Xtra their 3 objectives:

 

"Our first objective is to get govermnent agreement to a Plant Scrappage Scheme that would provide help for growers, landscapers and retailers who will lose seasonal plant stocks.  We've included into our calculations that stocks which can be maintained for sale later in the year are maintained but that prompts our second ask of government.

 

"We need the government to confirm that ornamental plant workers at growers, landscapers and retail are allowed to travel to work through the lockdown.  Apparently there have been instances in Scotland where workers at Pentland Plants have been turned around on their way to work.  I suggest all plant workers travel to work in their uniform to make it obvious that they are heading to work and there is also a letter template on the HTA website that members can adapt and give to their employees.

 

"Thirdly, we want horticulture to be allowed to be at the frontline of getting back to normality as part of the fresh produce industry."

 

"The HTA are co-ordinating a campaign to raise awareness of the situation within our industry and are asking for as many signatures as possible to send an open letter to the government.

 

"We need to add as many industry signatures to the letter as possible but we need to be quick.  Please send an e-mail to Boyd Douglas-Davies via BDD@britishgardencentres.com  with your name, business details and "YES", nothing more needed, if you are happy to add your signature"

 

An idea of the scale of the issue facing young plant growers can be seen in this video from Bruce Harnett at Kernock Park Plants in Cornwall.

 

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david Walker
i agree with the above comments but how about using all social media to get more people response as social media is a good way of connecting with people lets get some action and get garden centres open again to avoid industry melt down
KIMBERLEY HORNBY
Why are garden centres not on the list of essential shops? Off licenses can be added back onto to the list, but not garden centres? In this dual crisis of climate & Covid19 we need to connect with nature for emotional & mental wellbeing. #keepgardencentresopen
Trevor Pfeiffer
Dear Trevor,
A timely and disturbing article about the potentially very damaging effect upon our Plant Growers. One answer which has the merit of saving both plants, government pay out, and cheer up homeowners, would be to allow Garden Centres to open their outside planterias only. As with Supermarkets a limit could be imposed on the number of customers entering although this is unlikely to be as dangerous as visiting a Covered Supermarket with narrow aisles.
We can't afford to see whole sectors of our economy disappear, particularly those which have a great impact on people's physical and mental wellbeing, as well as employment.
Kind regards,
Malcolm Scott
Rob Boswijk
Malcolm, cannot agree more. I advocated this procedure when this all started. Plantareas can have a cash till placed in a garden shed - even if the greenhouse/shop remains locked up. (hey, its how many of us started!!)
Lets get Britain Blooming!
It is essential for the well being of both our industry and our Nation!
KIMBERLEY HORNBY
Couldn't agree more Trevor Pfeiffer
Deborah Moody
Thankyou Bruce. Hard facts and harsh reality eloquently presented. Stick together folks and support the whole industry. Compensation required now if retailers require continuity of supply when trade resumes and government wishes us to be tax payers of the future.
John Train