In This Issue
“Let’s tell Defra how to do it. Let’s make sure the gardeners of the future are coming to us"
Water feature displays pay dividends for garden centre
Garden centre benefits from WinRetail system
April ends on a high but it's still an average sales month
April plant sales thrive, says GTN Bestsellers
New plants revealed for Helping Children Grow
Electric Rhubarb to light up RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Plantscape team become overnight BBC TV and radio stars
Thompson & Morgan announces Chelsea entries
Garden Centre Tour - Mahoney Garden Centre, Boston, USA
SBM’s Lowri Walker gets set to see the world from a bird’s eye view!
First commercially available ‘ocean plastic’ outdoor furniture range
Strong start to gardening season continues through March, according to HTA Market Update
Award-winning Hydrangea to feature in 2020 catalogue
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Notcutts Norwich
Cold winds shrink trade involvement in World Naked Gardening Day
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
LeisureGrow appoints new Head of Pet for Petface
2019 GIMA Awards judging panel confirmed
Garden product sales down in April
Growing Media sales bounce back
Wild Bird Care volumes perk up
Cucumber is the new delight
‘Colour Trends’ hits the spot at Florna Plants
New Key Account Manager at Tildenet
Yodel delivers record number of flowers for Valentine’s and Mother’s Day
DLC approves SGS for Testing and Certification of Horticultural Lighting
New Super Slice from Burgon & Ball
The best of last week's
Raglan bought back from Wyevale by previous owner
The Davies's buy back Raglan from Wyevale
Become a GARDENA ambassador store and watch sales grow
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Forest Lodge
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Hillier Botley
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Baytree of Hilgay
Garden Centre Photo Tour - Blue Diamond Bicester Avenue
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Leading associations to host inspirational Keynotes at Commercial Kitchen 2019
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news. 

Email neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk, or trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 01733 775700






The Davies's buy back Raglan from Wyevale
The restaurant will be our number one change, says boss

Having bought back the business he sold to Wyevale Garden Centres four years ago, Martin Davies was holding a ‘Getting to re-know you’ session at Raglan Garden Centre when GTN Xtra spoke to him on Friday as he contemplated the transition from corporate branch to family business.

 

“There are quite a few new faces,” he said. “as there aren’t very many of the old staff left, so my priority is to get to know them better before deciding what changes we might make.”

 

For now, he said, very little needs to change except the restaurant. “This will absolutely be the number one job, to return it to everything being home-made on the premises, which is not the Wyevale way. Once we have done that, everything else will follow. It is really key.”

 

With fond memories of the business he and his wife Jean had built together, Martin (pictured right while chair of the GCA in 2008) confirmed his company, Coldbrook Ventures Ltd, had joined the bidding process when Wyevale Garden Centres put its centres up for sale last year. “I remember there being a little tearful farewell when we left,” he recalls, “so I am delighted to be back.”

 

In the intervening four years, Martin and Jean have run a commercial investment business, focusing on high street retail, and spent time extending their home.

 

A bonus following the re-acquisition is the opportunity to introduce their son Alex, who gave up his career in corporate finance last year, to the business with a view to taking the reins in the long-term.

 

Martin has not ruled out re-applying for membership of the Garden Centre Association.

 

In the meantime, he says, he can’t wait to get stuck in.

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

Email Address:*

Comment:*