In This Issue
Cowells saved from becoming a housing estate
“Business as usual” at up-for-sale Wyevale Garden Centres, admits CEO
May is a record for garden centre sales volumes... but only just
Business as usual at fire-ravaged Strikes within weeks
Total plant sales for May up by 21%
GIMA Golf & Activity Day a resounding success
John Athwal celebrates in true Premier style
Highfield Garden World welcomes third generation
Marathon walk to raise cash for Macmillan Cancer Support
Morrisons store reveals plans for garden centre
April was a rollercoaster month for garden centre sales
Plans to double size of Otter garden centre
Kent & Stowe launch 'Dig for Victory' gift range with Imperial War Museum
Bransford Webbs gears up for HTA National Plant Show
Extensive trialling leads Syngenta Flowers to resilient Imara impatiens walleriana
EU's PEST committee must separate fact from fiction
Help pondkeepers prepare for Summer with Tetra
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Pet firm fined £30,000 for supplying ‘fire-risk’ cushions to garden centre
Garden products up by 6% but 25% below record high
No making up of lost ground for Veg-2-Gro sales
Record May for Growing Media volumes
31 Novelties for the Novelty showcase at Garden Trials and Trade
Johnsons extends range to follow growing organic trend
Worfield Plants introduce new sales executive ahead of HTA show
Plantarium 2018: the ideal place to present your company
Wyevale Nurseries staff celebrate promotions
David Domoney shares ‘Grow Your Own’ knowledge with Mr Fothergill’s sales force
The best of last week's
Record-breaking month for up-for-sale Wyevale
Garden centre business back to normality...almost!
Gardman lands on National TV for the first time
LOFAssured initiative gains strength
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Abundance of inspiration from HTA Catering Conference
Squire’s serves up a delicious Wimbledon Cream Tea
Tong's Catering Supervisor recognised as a Rising Star
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April was a rollercoaster month for garden centre sales

Sales at garden centres across the country were up and down during April according to the Garden Centre Association’s Barometer of Trade report.

Outdoor plant sales remained down at -12.73% compared to the same month last year but could have been much worse if the bad weather had continued says the GCA.

Iain Wylie, GCA Chief Executive, said: “Sales in April were very up and down. The first two and a half weeks saw continued negative sales until the weather turned as we headed towards May. This means that overall sales were down for the month, however we expect to see them pick up in May after a record breaking start during the Bank Holiday weekend.

“We believe that had the bad weather continued for the rest of the month, the negative sales could have been much worse. Sales in some non-traditional categories brought some reassurance as our April results revealed sales in catering were up 1.33% and clothing up 15.92%.”

Gardeners started to prepare for the season as seed and bulb sales were also up at 5.75% and houseplant sales were up 7.13%.

Sales in garden sundries were down -11.16%, furniture and barbecue sales were down -11.12% and pets and aquatics were down -6.37%.

Gift sales were down -4.5%, hard landscaping was down -20.6% and food hall and farm shop sales were down -10.23%.

Overall April sales were down -8.36% with a year to date change of -10.86%.

 



Mark Winchester, Managing Director at Blackbrooks Garden Centre in East Sussex, said: “April was very much a month of two halves as far as sales are concerned, suffering massive dips of up to -36% in earlier weeks but then strong gains of +30% for later weeks.

“Overall our April sales were flat compared to 2017, which we were happy with considering the poor start to the month. We did not offer any discount to combat the poor start as spring always arrives eventually every year. Knowing when however is still a mystery!”

The GCA BoT reports are compiled using actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement. They are made available mid-month following the end of the prior month after all member garden centres have submitted their results.

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