In This Issue
Record Growing Media volumes continue to keep all garden centre sales at all time summer high
Pleydell Smithyman celebrate 25 years working with garden centres
READYBLAZE … Safer, Greener and Ready to Burn
Apta looks to strengthen merchandising team
Traeger – the original wood pellet grill
Global Journey Christmas Face Masks coming soon
The Greener Gardening Company works around the clock to meet exceptional demand for growing media 
August heads for all time record plant sales
Look on The Brightside with WIDDOP and Co.
LOFA and the Garden Centre Association grow together
Ball Colegrave reveals top varieties for 2021
Will commercial drivers drown out green recovery?
Children grow their own chips, thanks to Squire's
On The Road – The WIDDOP Roadshow
Glee New Product Awards entries start pouring in
Garland opens new warehouse as sales increase £1m so far this season
Never fear, Glee Daily News is here
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Pots and pot feet figure large in Bestsellers
Covid-19 incidents at Dobbies in Ayr and British Garden Centres at East Durham
August growing media up by 50% already
Feeding garden visitors of the wild variety
The best of last week's
Customers saddened by garden centre closure
Heavy rain dampens sales at garden centres
Cowell’s embraces back-to-school photo opportunity
Face masks from Global Journey are a garden centre bestseller
Introducing Glee Gathering, 15-16 Sept 2020
The UK’s £3.7 billion garden glow up
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter
All the latest news from the world of pet products
Burston celebrates International Dog Day with owners and pets
Supreme capitalises on well-known names
Situations Vacant
Apta looks to strengthen merchandising team
Four Product Merchandiser vacancies
 

Apta, the leading supplier of quality flowerpots and accessories to the UK garden trade, is looking to strengthen its merchandising team with the recruitment of motivated and ambitious Product Merchandisers...

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Pleydell Smithyman celebrate 25 years working with garden centres
GTN Xtra Promotion

It is time to raise a glass to Specialist Garden Centre Consultancy Pleydell Smithyman. Paul Pleydell and his team are marking 25 years working in partnership with Garden Centres.  

 

From their base in historic Ironbridge, GTN Xtra spoke to Paul about this special anniversary and what it has meant to be part of the development of the industry: “We are looking forward to celebrating this milestone throughout the year, especially the opportunity to say ‘Thank you’ to our team, to our clients, colleagues and friends for a great 25 years.  Indeed, it is our ‘friends’ across this amazing Garden Centre family that have made working in this sector so special. 

 

"GLEE would have been the perfect chance to catch up and say ‘thank you’ to each and every one of you who have been a part of our journey reaching 25.  Sadly, our annual gathering at GLEE won’t be possible this year, but instead we have produced a short video to mark the 25 year occasion and show off the work of our talented and enthusiastic team.”

 

Watch the video here.

 

Pleydell Smithyman have been at the forefront of the industry, working with Garden Centres across the UK and further afield, helping them get the best from their businesses & sites.

 

Paul and his team offer strategic business-led design solutions. Paul explained why Pleydell Smithyman enjoy working in the Garden Centre industry: “I often say we help design businesses not just buildings.  It is very much a ‘people’ business and it has been a true privilege to have worked with so many of you over the years, helping garden centres, both large and small, many who are leaders in the industry, to flourish and adapt to challenges that come along. It’s a thrill knowing we have been part of a creative and successful project, whether achieving a meaningful planning permission, developing a great new building, creating an innovative and successful retail area or restaurant.”

 

The 25 years have seen many changes.  Paul adds: "Looking back to the days when we wielded the trusted hb pencil and fax machines revolutionised communications (remember those?), just as we’ve embraced computer technology in the way we work today, it has been inspiring working alongside the Garden Centre industry as it has grown, embraced change and innovation, challenged convention, to create the ground-breaking and superb retail experiences we see today” .

 

We have all faced challenges in recent months, but Paul is thinking about the future: “It’s been great to see the sector rising to meet the unprecedented recent challenges and it has reminded us of what we love about working with garden centres - the way the sector comes together; the speed with which it responds to change; the resilience; the way is supports its customers and staff; I could go on...”

 

“We’re confident about the future; for example, new changes to the planning system will offer a wide range of opportunities and we’re always looking for new ways we can support our clients to help them build their businesses.”

 

“We’re going to miss not being at GLEE this year and the opportunity to share great conversation and a cheeky bacon butty over a cup of coffee with friends, old and new, from across the sector.  Most of all we’re going to miss the opportunity to say THANK YOU to you all for 25 great years and the possibility of many more exciting ones ahead.” 

 

Paul and his team may not be at GLEE this year but they are always available to offer advice and support, you can get in touch with them via paul@pleydellsmithyman.co.uk or on 01952 433211.

 

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