James Barnes from Dobbies – on the past: “If we strip out the weather effect going back the last five years I think we’ll see a decline of about 15% from 2005 to now.”  On the future: “it’s not a promotional thing it’s everyday low prices across the board.”

Alan Roper from Blue Diamond Group – on the past “We’ve been in an industry where margins have been pretty luxurious and all that over a period of time is going to change.”  On the future: “Number one is to target the consumer from a socio-economic point of view.  It’s very, very important to deliver a point of difference.  I don’t think there’s a future in franchising.  I have to look a scale which gives me the ability to talk to suppliers about the shape and colour of products and we can deliver our point of difference by shaping the products we sell.”

Andy McIndoe of Hilliers Garden Centres and Nurseries - on the past:  “Over the past 40 years the garden industry, gardening has changed beyond belief.  The palette of plants available to gardeners is vast, people are more affluent, people do have more leisure time and they spend quite differently.” On the future: “We need the people who can inspire, who can deliver, who can advise and give that personal experience.  We’ve got to make garden retail and commerce attractive to the right people for the future. “

Mark Pearson, CEO of Gardman – on the banking world:  “They are challenging people and I do face the task of explaining to them that this industry is a little different.  It’s not facing the economic challenges in quite the same way as so many retail sectors are at the moment and essentially my view is that we are on a long term journey.  One that is driven by cultural and social change.” On sharing of information:  “You’re part of a really unusual business community of people who actually share ideas, and that’s not normal in other industries.  Your challenge is to go and talk to those who are outperforming you because the lessons are there.”

Summing up the debate and the conference as a whole HTA Director General Carol Paris said, “There is no doubt that as an industry we need to be adaptable in order to grow. That said for many survival has been key this year. Despite the weather there is plenty that we can do ourselves to help the sector grow and collaboration across the supply chain and within the industry is key to achieving this.”