In This Issue
Much loved industry figure passes away after cancer battle
OBE's for Colin Squire and John Athwal
Rachel Doyle of Arboretum scoops Retail Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award
Bunnings UK boss to take a three month break
New Year Greetings to all our readers
When will the For Sale sign go up at Wyevale GCs?
So what went on behind closed doors at the Wyevale suppliers meeting.?
Rising Stars 2017 - The final 12
Owners of garden centre face £21,000 bill after selling 'dangerous' items
Wyevale Garden Centres announces shift away from acquisitions
Wyevale Garden Centres named on 'worst to work for' list
Sad news - Alistair Lorimer dies
Durston Garden Products HOLD prices for 2018
New display ideas, new products, new suppliers at Bunnings first UK garden centre - GTN Xtra picture exclusive
Retail ops restructured as going gets tough for Wyevale GCs
All eyes will be on how Wyevale GCs plans to replace 'unsustainable' growth strategy with core business focus
Sir Terry and Mr M...unfinished business at Dobbies?
Mothers Day bonanza as garden centre records are broken across the country
We cleared out Homebase management too quickly, confesses parent company's new CEO
Carol Paris is leaving the HTA
Dobbies "gets together with Ocado to be the best on-line"
Nicholas Marshall is back in the gardening industry as CEO of Dobbies
Newshound finds Mr M has been busy recruiting 'experience'...
Terra Firma props up Wyevale Garden Centres
So this is what a Bunnings Warehouse looks like...
A bittersweet moment says Scott CEO as he announces UK, Europe and Aussie sell-off
Gardman reports £1.5m loss - but earnings soar by 50%
Blue Diamond buys Bridgford Garden Centre
Exponent Private Equity to buy Scotts business in UK, Europe and Australia
Brothers sell £15m Yarnton Nurseries business
Area Representative/Product Merchandiser
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Westland win Sword of Excellence with SafeLawn
Is this the smallest garden centre in the UK?
Glee to hold two shows per year from 2018 onwards
Garden retailers sign up to industry Xylella statement
Marshall's strategy for Dobbies to put focus back on plants
Woodlodge win GCA Associate of the year Award
"The Best Glee for Years" - Retailers verdict on this years show
"Xylella is the most serious situation I have come across in 32 years in the industry"
MEP's vote to ban glyphosate completely by 2022
Blisters, tomatoes, over 100 walkers and runners raise over £22k on Garden Re-Leaf Day
Coolings buys Potted Garden Nursery at Maidstone
Exclusive pictures from Bunnings' biggest store yet
New men at the top at Hillier
Xylella fastidiosa: how Italy has tackled the problem
Town & Country is sold to EP Barrus
Supplier rebates to exceed £1.5m for Choice members
"Garden Centre of the Future" planned for new outlet retail centre at Downtown Grantham
Bunnings UK No. 3 - Hemel Hempstead in pictures
Shoplifting costs retailers £800m a year says research
Scotts: We want out of Europe...but we won't give the business away
New trade show will demonstrate how to cater for vegans
Historic exhibition and new branding for Dobbies
Exciting new-build garden centre underway
Bunnings - Homebase - sales drop by £44m
Glyphosate licence approved for 5 years
2017: A year of transition for the garden centre trade
Top 50 most-read stories in GTN Xtra 2017
Situations Vacant
Area Representative/Product Merchandiser
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Town & Country is sold to EP Barrus
No 40 Most Read Story 2017. First published: Tuesday 1 August, 2017



After months of speculation, Town & Country has been sold to EP Barrus.  As a result Jamieson and Barry Page (pictured above at Chelsea 2016) will be leaving the business.

Barry, who started Town & Country in 1960 has told customers:  "I am writing to let you know that we have sold the business. I personally want to thank you for the support that you have given to me and to Town & Country, whose success was created through the support of customers like yourselves.

"Customer support has been essential to the growth and development of Town and Country and it is extremely important to me that it will continue.  We are very lucky to have found a company whose ethos and culture is extremely compatible to that of Town & Country.

"The sale of the business to Barrus is fully supported by our employees who are positive about the future of the brand. The majority of the personnel will become employees of Barrus; and I will be working hard to ensure a smooth transition.  I look forward to meeting you at Glee where I can introduce you to the new Barrus team who have a wealth of experience in our industry."


The Town & Country brand will join Barrus’s current extensive line-up of leading garden machinery and garden tool brands including Cub Cadet, Lawnflite, Agri-Fab, WOLF-Garten, Wilkinson Sword and Energizer.

 

A statement from EP Barrus states:  "Town & Country offers one of the most comprehensive collections of gardening gloves and footwear. Continued investment and a focus on innovation have brought together a range that combines quality, functionality and style with exceptional value for money."

 

Robert Muir, Managing Director, E P Barrus Ltd. which celebrates its 100 year anniversary during 2017, commented: “The acquisition of Town & Country reinforces our commitment to the garden sector. This well-established household name has great synergy with our current line-up of premium gardening brands and provides the potential for future growth through existing and new distribution channels.”

 

Tim Hart, Director of Sales & Marketing said: “We are meeting the needs of gardeners by bringing premium brands together to offer a portfolio of high quality, innovative products.  Town & Country, like all our brands, will be fully supported by our operational expertise which enables us to offer excellent distribution service levels, and we will continue to build and develop the brand into the future.”

 

Barrus, which is part owned by US company MTD, will be represented across two stands at the forthcoming GLEE exhibition in September with Town & Country, and WOLF-Garten and Wilkinson Sword.

www.barrus.co.uk

www.townandco.com

www.mtdproducts.com

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