In This Issue
Over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards
Final call for GTN's Sustainability Directory entries for 2021
Submit your FREE Sustainability Directory Entry here
elho demonstrates continued growth, innovation, and excellent customer support
Container issues continue to escalate at UK ports - watch ITV News Video featuring Steven Potter at Glencrest
Alver Valley Garden Centre gets green light
Growing Media stars as November sees record total sales
Dobbies moves ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ as Brits seek early festive joy
November record for plant sales
Garden centre customers find happiness in houseplants
David Domoney chartered horticulturalist and broadcaster partners with the UK’s leading water garden supplier OASE
Stax sets the standard with new ISO audit
First RHS children’s homeware collection launched
Is selling online the future for garden centres?
New appointments to Board of Directors at E. P. Barrus Ltd
Growers and traders discuss impacts of Brexit 
GTN November issue now on-line
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Haskins promotes Andrew Harriss to Buying Director
Garden product sales on ice
Tong donates bulbs and seeds to mental health charity
On-line hit for Wild Bird Care
Scholarship for students with environmental solutions
Increased Christmas sales despite less customers
The best of last week's
Garden Centres put the positive stories about retailing during Lockdown
Hillier to Open New Garden Centre at Syon Park Estate
British nurseries are amongst the most eco-friendly on the planet, not that you’d know from watching Gardeners’ World
Restaurant gets star billing at redeveloped centre
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
British Garden Centres open their 58th centre at Thatcham
Barton Grange Christmas 2020 - Exclusive GTN Xtra Photo Tour
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
True Instinct to transform into Nature’s Variety
Gin company launches matching festive jumpers and dog bandanas
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Over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards

They’re back, all be it in a virtual form.  GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards are back for 2020 to celebrate all that’s great about garden centres at Christmas through the pages of GTN and the GTN Xtra e-mail newsletter and now we can announce there's over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won:

  • The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team – Sponsored by Woodlodge - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team – Sponsored by GTN Bestsellers -subscriptions worth £580 for the winner
  • The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team – Sponsored by Garden Radio – 1 years’ service with bespoke messages, worth over £500 for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team – Sponsored by SOLEX - 2 x Hotel Rooms at SOLEX 2021 for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Pets Team – Sponsored by Smart Garden Products, Zöon -£500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Community/Charity Initiative – Sponsored by Kaemingk – A display from their UK showroom for the winner
  • The Greatest Social Media Christmas Marketing Idea – Sponsored by Glee – 2 x Hotel Rooms at Glee 2021 for the winner
  • The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video – Sponsored by Premier Decorations - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Winter Garden Care Sales Team – Sponsored by Elho - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Covid Safe Christmas Display Team – Sponsored by Global Journey - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Group Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by DCUK - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Ascalon - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by Kaemingk- A display from their UK showroom for the winner
  • The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team Sponsored by Festive - £500 stock for the winner

They’re back, all be it in a virtual form.  GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards are back for 2020 to celebrate all that’s great about garden centres at Christmas through the pages of GTN and the GTN Xtra e-mail newsletter and now we can announce there's over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won:

  • The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team – Sponsored by Woodlodge - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team – Sponsored by GTN Bestsellers -subscriptions worth £580 for the winner
  • The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team – Sponsored by Garden Radio – 1 years’ service with bespoke messages, worth over £500 for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team – Sponsored by SOLEX - 2 x Hotel Rooms at SOLEX 2021 for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Pets Team – Sponsored by Smart Garden Products, Zöon -£500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Community/Charity Initiative – Sponsored by Kaemingk – A display from their UK showroom for the winner
  • The Greatest Social Media Christmas Marketing Idea – Sponsored by Glee – 2 x Hotel Rooms at Glee 2021 for the winner
  • The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video – Sponsored by Premier Decorations - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Winter Garden Care Sales Team – Sponsored by Elho - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Covid Safe Christmas Display Team – Sponsored by Global Journey - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Group Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by DCUK - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Ascalon - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by Kaemingk- A display from their UK showroom for the winner
  • The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team Sponsored by Festive - £500 stock for the winner

It's simple to take part, all you have to do is start taking photos of your displays and ideas now, remember to include a photo of the team, send an e-mail to trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk, and we'll get back to you with more details.  We're also raising money for Greenfingers Charity to help create more gardens at Children's Hospices during 2021.

 

Here's more detail about the categories for GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2020

  • Very important – As GTN’s Greatest Awards are all about the great teams of people working in garden centres we do need a photo of the team involved in every entry!

    The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team – Who has been “The Greatest” at maximising houseplant sales in the run up to Christmas 2020? What new houseplant merchandising ideas have you implemented this year?

    The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team – Which Outdoor Plant Sales team has been The Greatest at making the most of plant sales this Autumn and Winter?  Who has been the most creative in making real Christmas Tree purchases a great event despite the social distancing?

    The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team – As festive food sales in garden centres continue to grow, which garden centre team has been The Greatest at creating sumptuous Festive Food displays and maximising sales?

    The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team – Who has made the most of the great opportunity to sell BBQ’s, firepits, canopies, outside heaters and garden furniture during this pandemic Christmas season?

    The Greatest Christmas Pets Team – We all love to spoil our pets at Christmas, so which garden centre Pets team have been The Greatest at merchandising pet products and services for Christmas 2020?

    The Greatest Christmas Community or Charity Initiative – Christmas is a time for giving, so this Award is for the garden centre team who have executed The Greatest Christy fundraising activity or local initiative that gives back to the community.

    The Greatest Social Media Christmas Marketing Idea – This year more than ever, Social Media has played such an important part in every garden centres marketing activity.  But who has created and executed The Greatest Christmas Social Media campaign?

    The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video – The Christmas Video headlines may go to John Lewis but which garden centre has been super great in creating their very own Christmas video as part of their marketing activity?

    The Greatest Winter Garden Care Sales Team – With an estimated 3 million new gardeners this year there has never been a better time to merchandise gardening products as Christmas gifts.  Which garden centre Garden Care team has put their ‘Christmas jumpers’ on and really sold gardening to customers through the festive period?

    The Greatest Covid Safe Christmas Team – Being able to trade through Lockdown 2 meant every garden centre had to be at the top of its game for creating and maintaining a Covid safe retailing environment.  This special award will go to the team that went that extra mile to make customers and staff feel really safe.

    The Greatest Group Garden Centre Christmas Team – Who are The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Team overall from a garden centre that is part of a group of 10 or more centres?  The judges will be looking at your photo tour or video to see how you’ve made the most of Christmas as part of your garden centre group.

    The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team – In many ways small garden centres can have the real creative edge at Christmas so this award is for the team who made Christmas extra special for their customers in a small garden centre.  Send your photo tour now, plus a photo of the team of course!

    The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team – Probably the most competitive category in The Greatest Christmas Awards, which mid-sized garden centre team has made the most of Christmas and maximised sales despite all the social distancing requirements?

    The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team – Which of the large garden centres teams are The Greatest at Christmas in 2020.  Send us your photo tour and make sure you include all your Christmas areas and the teams as the judges will be looking at overall Christmas merchandising, not just your Christmas displays.

    The Greatest Christmas Supplier – This is an award that every garden centre who makes an entry in one of the categories above will have a chance to vote for.  It’s simply for the Christmas supplier they feel has been The Greatest for their business in this unique year.

We all love to see other centres displays and ideas, especially at Christmas, and as Lockdown 2 and travel restrictions make that difficult what better way to provide a solution for everyone than inviting garden centres to submit their own photos and videos as part of GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards.

  • Launch date:  GTN Xtra 16th November and GTN’s November print issue
  • Publication of photo’s and videos as they come in during December in GTN Xtra and GTN’s December issue.  Closing date for entries will be Thursday December 31st. 
  • Results announced:  GTN Xtra 24th January 2021 and as part of GTN’s January issue which includes our first ever Christmas Products Directory.

We’ve created a list of categories which we feel reflect Christmas trading for 2020 and we have a team of expert judges on standby to plough through all of the entries and hold video meetings with short listed teams before making their final decisions about the winners.

 

There are opportunities for suppliers to also be involved in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards by offering stock for Christmas 2021 as prizes for the winners.  Please contact alan@pottingshedpress.co.uk for more details.

 

So, what are you waiting for, get snapping and send an e-mail today to trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk to get your entry registered.

 

As you'll see below in GTN Xtra we've already had one photo tour to publish, from Barton Grange, and here's an early entry we received from the team at the Old Railway Line Garden Centre

 

 

Final call for GTN's Sustainability Directory entries for 2021

We've already had a great response in the call for entries into GTN's Sustainability Directory for 2021, but we've just managed to get an extension in the deadline from our printers and production team so you now have until 12:00 noon on Friday 11th December to complete your FREE Entry.  Use this link to complete on-line or call Alan Burdon on 01733 775700 or by e-mail: alan@pottingshedpress.co.uk


Submit your FREE Sustainability Directory Entry here

 

 

 

Click here to complete your FREE entry on-line... 

 

Deadline for entries - 12:00 noon Friday 11th December 2020.

 


 
elho demonstrates continued growth, innovation, and excellent customer support
GTN Xtra Promotion

As a year of unprecedented challenges across all industries draws to a close, elho continues to grow and further its reputation as one of the leading synthetic container suppliers in the UK...


As a year of unprecedented challenges across all industries draws to a close, elho continues to grow and further its reputation as one of the leading synthetic container suppliers in the UK. 

 

elho’s commitment to its customer service is highlighted with the appointment an experienced new sales rep to cover the south west, meaning the company now has full UK coverage. 

 

Despite lockdown, elho has continued to innovate, design and create, ensuring that its new product launch plans are unaffected. The 2021 product launches continued as intended and the 2022 lines will be announced earlier than ever at spoga+gafa, with the show now taking place in May. This continued drive and growth helps push the sector forward and sees the company firmly placed as a leader of it. 

 

This commitment to its customers is further demonstrated as the flow of product and supply of stock to garden centres has remained steady, with lead times being unaffected even by lockdown measures. elho has been working hard to ensure that it has been able to easily fulfil demand, which has been at unprecedentedly high levels this year. 

 

Sales manager, David Nicholson (left) said: ‘We have fully caught up with the high demand over the last five months (70% higher) and we are back to delivery rates of 95%. We have made extra investments in extending our production and warehouse capacity. Our stock levels are higher than normal this time of the year to support customers the best we can and we will further build extra safety stock for the new season.’

 

The elho Group brand is also launching easyday in January, to offer more variety to garden centres and meet the demand for an affordable, basic range that others have been unable to meet. The range includes a watering can, flowerpot, trough and balcony planter, with RRPs starting at £2.99. 

 

For more information on any of the above and for details about stocking the new elho collections please contact david.nicholson@elho.nl.

 
Container issues continue to escalate at UK ports - watch ITV News Video featuring Steven Potter at Glencrest

LOFA reported two weeks ago of the congestion that is causing major problems at UK ports, this crisis is now escalating, and the situation is now being highlighted by the BBC and ITV who are reporting on the struggle and financial impact this it is having on UK businesses...


Steven Potter at Glencrest explains the impact of the container crisis on ITV News:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z94wil79eKg

 

LOFA reported two weeks ago of the congestion that is causing major problems at UK ports, this crisis is now escalating, and the situation is now being highlighted by the BBC who are reporting on the struggle and financial impact this it is having on UK businesses.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54989299

 

These issues at ports have led to shipping firms quadrupling their freight costs.  These delays, which mainly seem to be worse at Felixstowe, are being caused by a surge in import traffic.  

 

The owner of the port, said that if the chaos continues, these increased shipping prices will have to be passed down the supply chain. It seems that containers are being left on the quayside because haulage companies are unable to book slots to enter the site. 

 

Retail outlets will suffer because they will be unable to sell what is en-route at the moment in time for Christmas which will mean there will be a knock-on effect for the outdoor leisure industry after the holidays when garden related products start arriving ready for the S/S Season 2021. 

 

Hutchinson Ports UK who own Felixstowe have said that Covid, the imbalance in UK Trade and Brexit stockpiling have exacerbated the situation and they are working with their customers and stakeholders to try and find a solution for the current situation. 

 

Another problem that is facing the port is empty containers waiting to be shipped back to Asia, these are causing a backlog at ports across Europe and North America, and to add further fuel to the fire shipping companies have sharply increased freight prices in response to the congestion, some by as much as 300%.  

 

It is extremely worrying that big shipping lines are drastically reducing UK volumes because so much of the UKs goods arrive through our ports.  Ports across the world are battling to manage these surging demands for imports but it seems that Felixstowe is struggling more than most.

Alver Valley Garden Centre gets green light

 

A new destination garden centre is to be built in Gosport, Hampshire. The centre will be the third in the Your Local Garden Centre group that currently includes Mappleborough Green and Stansted Park Garden Centres...


A new destination garden centre is to be built in Gosport, Hampshire. The centre will be the third in the Your Local Garden Centre group that currently includes Mappleborough Green and Stansted Park Garden Centres.

 

The group is developed and run by experienced industry figure Paul Richards in collaboration with Tim Mason. After several years from concept to design, planning permission for the new centre has just been approved by the local authority.

 

The 6 acre brownfield site was once an important World War 2 airfield and is adjacent to the Alver Valley Country Park and 17th Century Little Woodham Living History village. There has been a lot of cooperation with Gosport Borough Council and the development will include shared facilities to make it a gateway to the adjacent attractions.

 

The aim is to continue to work in cooperation with the local council to create a strong visitor attraction in the area. Paul Richards says “The retail world is being painfully disrupted and challenged.

 

"To compete with on-line, retail now needs to be part of something with visitor appeal. Working with the council is allowing us to be part of what will become a major local attraction for the area.”

 

The garden centre building will be a multi-span steel portal framed structure with a large feature oak porch frontage, to match the other centres in the group. The objective is to blend the best of modern and traditional building techniques to create a sustainable, attractive and inspiring development.

 

The main building will be 5,400m² and include a large coffee shop with panoramic views over the plant display areas and country park beyond. Catering will be an important part of the garden centre offer and a separate children’s play area and ice cream bar is planned.

 

The garden centre will become a central part of the Alver Valley visitor attractions and includes the Alver Valley meeting room available for community meetings and events.

 

The new centre design will benefit from knowledge learnt building the other centres. “We already have a very successful model and this opportunity to build a brand-new centre allows us to develop the model further and build an even better garden centre. We want to give our customers an exceptional experience” confirms Paul.

 

Construction is due to start Summer 2021 with opening Spring 2022. It is expected that the garden centre will employ approximately 60 staff. The Alver Valley Garden Centre site sits on the edge of Gosport and a short walk from the coast at Lee-on-the-Solent.

 

Between them, Richards and Mason have over 70 years’ experience in the garden centre industry. Richards built up the Golden Acres Garden Centre group until selling the business in 2015. Mason was a senior manager at Hillier Nurseries before starting retail consultancy Sea Pop. The “Your Local Garden Centre” business is now the main focus for both Paul & Tim.

 

Although there may never have been such dramatic changes as those seen in 2020, they remain confident garden centres have a strong future. Tim Mason explains “We have large open retail spaces both inside and out and the main product ranges we sell are helping homeowners enjoy their outside living spaces and build a sense of wellbeing. That will be important for people in the future.”

 

Growing Media stars as November sees record total sales

November recorded record sales volumes in the garden centre EPoS data analysed for GTN Bestsellers and the star performer in terms of year on year growth was that key gardening essential, Growing Media...


 

November recorded record sales volumes in the garden centre EPoS data analysed for GTN Bestsellers and the star performer in terms of year on year growth was that key gardening essential, Growing Media.

 

 

The GTN Bestsellers Growing Media index for November was up by 65% year on year, beating the increased performance of Plants, up by 32% and Christmas, up by 11%.

 

After all the business in garden centres in November it will be interesting to see if that has all been earlier visits and purchases that will leave lower sales in December or whether it’s just increased spending as people seek to cheer themselves up.  Watch this space…

 

 

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 48

  • Garden Products Top 50 – down 25%
  • Growing Media Top 50 – up 103%
  • Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – down 17%
  • Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 24%
  • Christmas Top 50 – up 7%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 48

  • All Plants with Barcode index – up 23%
  • All Items with Barcode index – up 11%

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

Dobbies moves ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ as Brits seek early festive joy

Dobbies brought forward its official ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ to Saturday (December 5) as the British public got into the Christmas spirit earlier than normal...


 

Dobbies brought forward its official ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ to Saturday (December 5) as the British public got into the Christmas spirit earlier than normal. 

 

Usually the second Saturday in December, ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ marks the most popular time for people buying their real Christmas trees. But according to new research commissioned by Censuswide on behalf of Dobbies, almost a quarter (24%) of Brits plan on putting their Christmas tree up early. Forty percent of those planning to put their tree up early are aiming to do this 2 to 3 weeks earlier than usual, and a quarter are planning to put theirs up a week earlier. 

 

Notably, young adults are the keenest to up the Christmas spirit levels with over two in five (46%) of those aged 16 to 24 planning on putting their tree up early. 

 

Dobbies has streamlined its Christmas tree varieties this year focusing on the Nordmann Fir which is grown in sustainable Scottish woodlands. The Nordmann Fir holds its needles well and has a natural, open look making it easy to decorate. 

 

Pot grown trees, which can be planted in the garden post-Christmas, are already proving popular this year as consumers look for environmentally-friendly options. 

 

The garden centre is also expecting high demand of its value range including the 4ft Nordmann Fir tree which is £19.99. This taps into the trend of having Christmas trees in a variety of rooms in the house, especially kids’ bedrooms.

 

 

Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director for Dobbies, said: “Buying a Christmas tree is a festive tradition and we work year-round to make sure we’ve got the best selection. 

 

“We know customers are keen to get Christmas started early this year and because of that we’ve brought forward our official ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ by a week to make sure everyone can get the tree they want and make the most of the festive season. 

 

“Our premium-quality, sustainably sourced trees are displayed to aid safe shopping. We have social distancing measures in place to reassure our customers and allow them to choose their Christmas tree in a safe and enjoyable way

 

“Customers can also pre-order their Christmas tree for home delivery by visiting dobbies.com where they will find a great range of Christmas trees to choose from.”

 

Marcus features on the latest edition of the Dobbies gardening podcast, giving advice on selecting a real Christmas tree, how to transport it and the optimum position in the home. The Dobbies podcast is available to listen to and download now via iTunes and Spotify https://www.dobbies.com/content/podcast.html

November record for plant sales

The GTN Bestsellers All Plants Index for November was up by 32% on last year to set a new record in the run up to Christmas...


 

The GTN Bestsellers All Plants Index for November was up by 32% on last year to set a new record in the run up to Christmas.

  • Last week, Poinsettia sales more than doubled to move up to No 3.
  • Potted Nordmann trees, Abies, were the highest chart climber, up 16 places to No 19.
  • As houseplants sales rise in the run up to Christmas Aloe plants were the highest re-entry to the GTN Top 50 at No 28.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

Garden centre customers find happiness in houseplants

Customers at garden centres across the country boosted their spirits by buying houseplants during October, according to the Garden Centre Association’s Barometer of Trade report. Compared with the same month in 2019, sales were up 48.2%.


 

Customers at garden centres across the country boosted their spirits by buying houseplants during October, according to the Garden Centre Association’s Barometer of Trade report.

 

Compared with the same month in 2019, sales were up 48.2%.

 

Iain Wylie, GCA Chief Executive explained: “Our mental health and wellbeing has become an even bigger topic this year and it’s become incredibly clear that gardening and having foliage and houseplants around the home, can really lift our moods, which is why there’s no surprise that houseplants have come out on top as the bestsellers during October.

 

“As another lockdown across England was announced at the end of October and people were predicting this before the end of the month, it was likely people were stocking up on houseplants during the month to brighten up their homes and to have something to tend to during their additional spare time. With more people working from home now too, houseplants are a great way to spruce up a boring workspace and can help purify the air in addition to adding freshness and life to a room.

 

“Houseplants are also being featured in more and more lifestyle magazines as desirable household accessories. It’s now very trendy to have a cactus or a succulent and to have cyclamen on your table for Christmas and as part of your festive décor.”

 

Other good sellers during the month were garden sundries up 41.46%, furniture and barbecues up 34.79% and sales of outdoor plants, which were up 34.53%.

 

Sales in seeds and bulbs were up 9.12%, pets and aquatics up 6.88% and hard landscaping up 35.33%.

 

Gift sales were up 15.82% and Christmas sales were also up 26.74%. 

 

Food hall and farm shop sales were up 27.29%, clothing was down -9.28% and catering was also down -19.26%.

 

Iain added: “Clothing sales have been most affected by the pandemic as many concessions have been closed throughout the majority of the year. 

 

“As expected, catering sales were also down across the nation. This is due to reduced capacity to allow for social distancing in centres that were open across England, tiered restrictions in Scotland, the closure of centres during the firebreaker lockdown that took place in Wales and the centres that were closed in Northern Ireland for half of the month.”

 

Overall sales for the month were up 13.16%, which includes catering and restaurant sales, with a year to date change of -11.09%. Retail only figures for the month were up 24.2%.

 

Martin Cowell, Director at Cowell’s Garden Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne, said: “Houseplants have been a particularly strong category for Cowell’s throughout 2020 and this continued with fantastic sales during October. 

 

“We have ensured sufficient space is allocated to the department, our team continually create inspirational in-store displays and our buyers work hard to offer a range that appeals to both houseplant experts and newcomers. 

 

“Outdoor plants and core gardening products also continue to perform strongly, and we are seeing an earlier interest in Christmas products than we would traditionally expect.

 

“I can certainly see the continued desire from customers to grow and care for plants, both in the home and garden and attribute this to a wider understanding of the mental health benefits. We have supported this by incorporating positive quotes regarding plants into our social media and in-store signage and we will continue to talk to our customers about the benefits of plants.”

 

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.

David Domoney chartered horticulturalist and broadcaster partners with the UK’s leading water garden supplier OASE

David Domoney becomes brand ambassador for the water gardening giant, OASE, and aims to demystify water gardening and encourage more people to add water to their gardens...


David Domoney becomes brand ambassador for the water gardening giant, OASE, and aims to demystify water gardening and encourage more people to add water to their gardens.

 

David says, “Since lockdown, many gardeners are keen to expand their hobby into new, exciting areas and water gardening is a popular choice because the sound and movement enhances the relaxing atmosphere of the space.”

 

If installed correctly, adding areas of water can be a haven for visiting wildlife. David adds, “When you install water in the garden it adds a new dimension to your design as well as more planting opportunities. From water lilies flowering on a pond whilst fish swim beneath to the sound of tranquil water flowing from a self-contained water feature, the beauty of adding water can be as big or small as your garden dictates. Combining lighting, plants and water movement will bring a whole new feel to your outside space.”

 

Introducing water to the garden can transform it to an oasis of calm, where you can benefit from the soothing soundtrack of moving water. There are other psychological advantages too, because being around water gives our senses a rest from over stimulation, especially today in our ever-growing technological society. Water has the power to calm us, connect us and increase creativity and innovation.

 

Not only do we benefit from water in our gardens, but wildlife does too. Installed correctly, ponds are a perfect place for creatures to wash, bathe and get access to shelter and food. Having a pond in your garden will attract a variety of amphibians including frogs, toads, and newts. They’ll thank you by eating garden pests like slugs and snails.

 

Making the pond accessible to animals is important, by adding a gradual incline to allow easy access and exiting will help them out. No matter what size your garden is, a pond of any shape or size is incredibly valuable to wildlife.

 

From filtration and liners to pumps and connectors, there may be plenty to think about but even planning and assembling the pond will benefit you.

 

David says, “With a goal to work towards with the finished product being a calming and relaxing space for reflection and de-stressing whilst watching the wonders of wildlife.”

 

With many people living in flats or apartments with little or no green space, the benefits of water features and nature can be achieved indoors too. OASE’s unique aquariums and terrariums with cutting edge technology, offer a design element that offers many possibilities. So, bring the outdoors in with their ornamental biOrbs.

Stax sets the standard with new ISO audit

Stax Trade Centres has cemented its place as the quality leader in its field thanks to re-accreditation carried out by the British Assessment Bureau, which confirmed the company meets the standards of the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2015 quality management system...


 

Stax Trade Centres has cemented its place as the quality leader in its field thanks to re-accreditation carried out by the British Assessment Bureau, which confirmed the company meets the standards of the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.

 

The ISO 9001:2015 certification lays out a predefined criteria of business processes, all of which demonstrate Stax’s ability to provide products and services which consistently go above and beyond customer and regulatory requirements. 

 

Whilst it’s another great achievement to add to the list, the UK’s biggest non-food wholesaler has no plans to slow down, as Operations Director Tim Ball explains: “We first achieved ISO accreditation in 2017 and have successfully passed annual assessments to retain that status. This time, however, we underwent a more stringent and detailed audit which takes place every three years. Despite the pandemic, the process went very smoothly, and we passed with flying colours as expected.

 

“Accreditation assures people that Stax is committed to adhering to world-class trading standards and operating processes,” adds Tim. “This is especially beneficial when we are tendering for contracts in the public sector, such as the supply of PPE to local authorities, where ISO certification is a standard requirement. However, it also means thousands of independent retailers throughout the UK whom we support can rely on us to work to the highest standard.

 

“It’s extremely rewarding to see our efforts recognised in such a high-profile manner, but this is by no means the end of the story. We will continue working hard to ensure we maintain and further improve our quality standards.”

 

Stax is the UK’s number one non-food wholesaler and provides genuine trade-only support for independent retailers throughout the nation. Its offering spans an extensive selection of market sectors including gardening, hardware, building, decorating, electrical, plumbing, homeware, bathrooms and kitchens.

 

Picture caption: Stax Trade Centres cemented its place as the quality leader in its field thanks to re-accreditation by the British Assessment Bureau, which confirmed the company meets the standards of the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.

 
First RHS children’s homeware collection launched

The Royal Horticultural Society has awarded a licence to Dexam, a specialist supplier of kitchen cookware, bakeware and accessories, to produce a range of children’s backpacks and meal accessories using environmentally friendly or recycled material...


The Royal Horticultural Society has awarded a licence to Dexam, a specialist supplier of kitchen cookware, bakeware and accessories, to produce a range of children’s backpacks and meal accessories using environmentally friendly or recycled material.

 

Called the Home Grown Children’s Collection, the range includes backpacks, lunch bags with matching drinks bottles, lunchboxes, children’s aprons, toddler messy play aprons and children’s eating gift sets.

 

The items in the range are all illustrated with engaging illustrations featuring bright and very colourful images of carrots and apples with captions like “I am growing every day”, “Home harvest” and “Locally grown”.

 

The range has also been designed with the environment in mind. The lunch bags, backpacks and aprons are made from recycled plastic bottles via a process which turns the plastic into a durable and practical fabric. The bags are wipe clean and the aprons are 40°C machine washable. The lunch boxes and kids’ eating sets are made from bamboo fibre. Bamboo is renewable, biodegradable and grows quickly without fertilisers. It is also naturally antibacterial – so perfect for holding food.

 

The range is expected to launch in spring 2021. It will be available at high street stores, garden centres, RHS shops and online, including the official RHS online store, shop.rhs.org.uk.

The designs are all inspired by artwork from the new RHS children’s style guide, which was launched last year. These are the first non-publishing-related products to use the children’s style guide, which will see its licensing debut in a range of books from Scholastic. The first Scholastic titles will launch in February 2021.

 

The continuing development of the RHS range of children’s products will be a strong RHS focus in the coming months, especially given the growth in family visits to gardens and parks – along with the much greater time devoted to gardening – that has been a feature of this year’s ongoing restrictions.

 

Dexam was founded in 1957 selling kitchen gadgets and cookware. Its range today has everything you need from peeling to chopping and mixing to baking. Ethical production is fundamental to the integrity of its products.

 

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager, RHS, says: “Bringing our children’s style guide artwork to homeware for the first time requires a partner that understands our aims and that has a reputation for quality – and that is a perfect description of Dexam. These children’s backpacks and meal accessories are practical and stylish, as well as environmentally friendly. They’re also a lot of fun!”

 

Helen Boardman, Product Manager, Dexam, says: “The RHS children’s style guide and our own 60 years of experience in kitchenware and lunch accessories have combined to produce this very child and environmentally friendly range. We’ve greatly enjoyed partnering with the RHS on the Home Grown Children’s Collection, which we are sure will delight both children and parents.”

 
Is selling online the future for garden centres?

That was the question asked by BBC Radio 4’s You & Yours programme this week, and was answered by two prominent figures from the industry – consultant Jane Lawler and Blue Diamond Garden Centres managing director Alan Roper...


 

That was the question asked by BBC Radio 4’s You & Yours programme this week, and was answered by two prominent figures from the industry – consultant Jane Lawler and Blue Diamond Garden Centres managing director Alan Roper.

 

The programme, aired at lunchtime on Thursday (December 3), stated that garden centres didn’t seem to bother too much about being online until they were forced to shut when the first Covid-19 lockdown was imposed.

 

As a result, claimed the programme, hundreds of garden centres without an online presence suddenly launched a website virtually overnight.

 

With the You & Yours presenter suggesting that selling plants and products through a website might be the future for UK garden centres, Alan and Jane debate the pros and cons of online retailing in this industry.

 

You can hear what they have to say on BBC Sounds by clicking on the following link https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000q0z1. Their debate starts around 26 minutes into the programme.

New appointments to Board of Directors at E. P. Barrus Ltd

E. P. Barrus Ltd has appointed four new members – Tim Hart, Keryn Clarke, Lee Darling and Neil Thompson – to the company’s Board of Directors with immediate effect.


 

E. P. Barrus Ltd has appointed four new members to the company’s Board of Directors with immediate effect.

 

A great British company with over 100 years in business, Barrus operates across the four main market sectors of Marine, Garden, Industrial and Vehicle.

 

Joining the board are Tim Hart, Keryn Clarke, Lee Darling and Neil Thompson, returning E. P. Barrus Limited’s total board membership to eight. Highly regarded in their respective fields, Tim, Keryn, Lee and Neil have different skill sets, knowledge and insight which perfectly complements and supports the diverse nature of the business.

 

Tim Hart, Sales and Marketing Director, joined Barrus in 1995 taking up the role of Marine Diesel Divisional Manager. His career began in auto sports engineering leading to extensive experience within the marine industry. In 2005, Tim took on the additional responsibility of managing the Marine Leisure Division and completed an MBA at Henley Business College. Tim agreed to lead all eleven Barrus Sales Divisions, Spare Parts Operations and Marketing as part of an Executive Team that was formed in 2010.

 

Keryn Clarke, Operations Director, joined the company in 2007 in the position of Business Process Manager having previously worked as an Operations Director in the manufacturing, distribution, and mail order industries. Keryn has grown and developed into her role and she now has responsibility for warehousing, distribution, human resources, information technology, health and safety and quality systems. In 2010, Keryn joined the newly formed Executive Team leading operations.

 

Lee Darling, Finance Director, joined the company as part of the Executive Team in 2018 taking up the role of Chief Financial Officer. A qualified Chartered Accountant, Lee has a very wide and varied experience of accounting, business processes, markets and systems working within the property, fast-moving consumer goods and retail sectors.

 

Neil Thompson, Non-Executive Director, brings with him a wealth of pioneering product strategy experience in the consumer durables and engineering sectors. Following a 27 year successful career with Microsoft, as Vice President EMEA, Neil has joined our board with a broad experience in launching and driving innovations from a product perspective, as well as innovations in business model changes required to meet the new demands of customers and market dynamics.

 

“Each director brings with them their unique approach, different skills and expertise,” commented Robert Muir, Managing Director, E. P. Barrus Ltd.

 

“Tim has a first-class in-depth knowledge of our business, suppliers, our varied customer base and the diverse markets within which we operate. Keryn possesses a broad range of business skills and a determination, tenacity and appetite to deliver continuously evolving operational improvements to satisfy customer needs and to support our sales efforts. Lee’s strong financial ability enables us to meet all of our corporate, financial institution and regulatory requirements. Neil has a wealth of experience and expertise in business transformation, sales, marketing and communication."

 

“On behalf of the board of E. P. Barrus Ltd, I am delighted to welcome Tim, Keryn, Lee and Neil to our board, and I look forward to their valuable contributions to the board’s strategic vision,” said Robert Muir.

 

E. P. Barrus Ltd has appointed Tara Glen as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Tara has a degree in Engineering Science from Oxford University and is a Chartered Accountant. She has worked within Barrus in roles from Engineering to COO and, more recently has been undertaking a role of Non-Executive Director of the board. Tara is the daughter of Robert Glen and great-granddaughter of Mr E. P. Barrus, who founded the Company in 1917.

 

Robert Glen remains as Chairman of E. P. B. Holdings Limited, the holding company, and is an active director and mentor to the board of E. P. Barrus Limited.  

 

Andrew Feilden is the eighth member of the board. In the past, Andrew has been Chairman of E. P. Barrus Limited. He is a valued Non-Executive Director of E. P. Barrus Limited, E. P. B. Holdings Limited and represents the trustees of the Glen Life Settlement Trust.

 

Pictured, from left to right: Lee Darling, Chief Financial Officer; Keryn Clarke, Operations Director; Andrew Feilden, Non-Executive Director; Robert Glen, Chairman E. P. B. Holdings Ltd and Director E. P. Barrus Ltd; Tara Glen, Chairman of the E.P. Barrus Ltd Board, Robert Muir, Managing Director; Neil Thompson, Non-Executive Director; Tim Hart, Sales and Marketing Director.

 

Growers and traders discuss impacts of Brexit 

With no definitive agreement of a trade deal between the politicians of the UK and the EU in place yet, ‘Getting Brexit Done’ is fast falling on the shoulders of international traders ahead of the 1 January 2021 deadline...


 

With no definitive agreement of a trade deal between the politicians of the UK and the EU in place yet, ‘Getting Brexit Done’ is fast falling on the shoulders of international traders ahead of the 1 January 2021 deadline.

 

The International Association of Horticultural Producers – AIPH, FloraCulture International and World HortiCenter are working together to bring a more precise picture to the global ornamental horticultural industry with two webinars featuring experts from policymakers to nursery owners. 

 

The first webinar, in association with the HTA took place on Wednesday 2 December, with a focus on preparing for the importing and exporting of plants, trees and bulbs. In attendance, online were more than 230 participants from the global supply chain, and a few government officials, all wanting answers to the very question, “How do we get ready?”

 

The HTA states that the UK imports about £350m-worth of plants a year (excluding cut flowers). This figure demonstrates the need for practical preparation on both sides as the EU support mechanisms that have been in place for more than 40 years, and more importantly during the Coronavirus pandemic, will not be there after 31 December.

 

As stakeholders for the UK’s garden trade, Sally Cullimore, Policy Manager, at HTA, is in constant discussion with the UK government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). She foresees the main problems being an IT system that’s not ready and a legacy system that will not cope with the new pre-notification Place of Destination (POD) system. Her comprehensive presentation gave meaning for the modern anachronisms for various processes and set out the multiple milestones – or challenges – ahead. She did not shy away from the knowledge that there will be many administrative complications that need resolution such as adequate border inspections, a definitive classification of plants - where they are arriving, what’s happening to them. Plus, further complications arising from the any new plant passport system and phytosanitary certificates. 

 

On a positive note, she adds that once the IT system is working, it will provide “a greater consolidation of data and more streamlined trade flow”. In conclusion, she says there is a need for greater collaboration adding: “We are fighting for the industry.” She hopes that in talking to DEFRA, there is the political will to suspend import inspection until July.

 

Moving on from the management of the new administration to the cost of the changes was the next presenter Eline van den Berg, Supply Chain Public Affairs, of Royal FloraHolland, the Netherlands. Using data from major accountancy organisation KPMG and knowledge of current free trading with the UK, their calculations account for additional costs of trade of between 0.6-20%.

 

Stefan Koopman, Market Economist UK Rabobank, gives a bleak future picture, as he comments upon current impacts which the Bank of England has dubbed “the holy trinity” – coronavirus, Brexit and unemployment. Stefan concludes that “the push for sovereignty has a price that will have a negative effect on the country’s potential rate of growth and may make it less attractive for foreign capital.”

 

Speaking from the hearts were presentations from Bruce Harnett, Managing Director, Kernock Park Plants, UK and Henk Westerhof, Royal Anthos (Royal Trade Association for Nursery Stock and Flower Bulbs), the Netherlands. Both speakers shared their frustrations with the impending new ways of trading. Bruce fearing the logistical difficulties to exporting to Northern Ireland and Henk needing clarity on the implications of “free of soil” or “practically free of soil” and “what is a place of destination mean when dealing with landscapers”? 

 

In the panel session, all speakers agree on their concerns about the interpretations with Bruce adding: “Pragmatism should win in the end.” After all, that is how we have been coping with the coronavirus pandemic.

 

AIPH secretary general Tim Briercliffe comments: “Amongst the confusion of the Brexit negotiations it is encouraging to see how hard our industry is fighting to keep this vital trade in place after 1 January.  With so many questions still unanswered then it was clear that HTA has full support, from both sides of the channel, to reach the best outcomes for our industry and we wish them well as they lobby for these outcomes regardless of what happens with the negotiations.“

 

The webinar is free to view on our YouTube channel

GTN November issue now on-line

 

 

GTN's November 2020 issue, published this week, is now available to read on-line below:


GTN's November 2020 issue, published this week, is now available to read on-line below:

 

 
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Haskins promotes Andrew Harriss to Buying Director

Andrew Harriss, who has worked at Haskins Garden Centres for over 14 years, will join the Board of Directors as Buying Director...


Andrew Harriss, who has worked at Haskins Garden Centres for over 14 years, will join the Board of Directors as Buying Director.

 

Andrew joined the company in 2006 as Buyers Assistant and has spent his career with the Ferndown-based busines, growing with the company to Assistant Buyer, Buyer, Senior Buyer and now Buying Director.

 

Julian Winfield, Chief Executive at Haskins Garden Centres, said: “Andrew is a committed and loyal member of our team who has developed his skill and commercial acumen with the company over the past 14 years. We’re pleased to be welcoming Andrew to the Board of Directors and promoting him to Buying Director, a role which is very well deserved and one in which he will thrive.”

 

As Senior Buyer, Andrew was responsible for the gardening and furniture department however as Buying Director, will now oversee the entirety of Haskins buying department, for all five of its centres. With a seat on the Board, Andrew will also have a view across the wider business.

 

Andrew Harris, new Buying Director at Haskins said: “I have always been hugely grateful for the opportunities Haskins have provided me. Since joining 14 years ago, I have regularly been given new challenges and chances to progress my career within the business and for that I am very thankful.

 

“The horticulture industry is an incredibly enjoyable industry that really does hook you in. I can’t see myself working in any other line of work and I am pleased to be continuing my success in buying with Haskins Garden Centres.”

 

Haskins has centres in Ferndown (Dorset), West End (Southampton), Roundstone and Snowhill (West Sussex). Haskins Snowhill recently re-opened following a £15million redevelopment at the Crawley-based centre. Haskins Garden Centres also recently acquired Forest Lodge Garden Centre and Birdworld in Farnham, Surrey.

 

Visit www.haskins.co.uk for further information.

 
Garden product sales on ice

Garden product sales were put on ice in November, falling 28% behind last year’s level, but just above the level of 2018...


 

Garden product sales were put on ice in November, falling 28% behind last year’s level, but just above the level of 2018.

 

Some of the difference could be accounted for with less cold weather gardening products sold. After Friday’s snow that could all change for December.

 

Highlights of the week were:

  • Creative Products Bottle Lights continue to be the No 1 Bestseller in the GTN Chart, sales are lower than the same week in 2019 however.
  • Gardman 100 LED String Lights Warm White were the highest re-entry at No 6.
  • Creative Products Nano Gel Tape 3m, a New product Award winner during Glee at Spring fair 2020 is the only new entry for the week at No 26.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

 
Tong donates bulbs and seeds to mental health charity

The team at Tong Garden Centre in Bradford have donated seeds and bulbs to a Shipley mental health charity...


 

The team at Tong Garden Centre in Bradford have donated seeds and bulbs to a Shipley mental health charity.

 

With the help of supplier, Westland Horticulture, Tong Garden Centre has donated over £500 worth of bulbs and seeds to The Cellar Trust that it will use to add value to planters made by clients.

 

The Cellar Trust is a registered charity that provides support to people recovering from mental health problems in the Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven areas. The team provides people with tailored support to help them move forward and improve their mental health and wellbeing, in a way that complements any additional support they are receiving through other services.

 

Gemma Bingham, Community Fundraising Lead at the Trust said: "Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we had to close our Woodwork and Horticulture departments in July but we still have a large stock of planters and bird boxes that our clients made that we are hoping to sell in our online Christmas charity shop. We are wanting to sell the planters alongside some bulbs or seeds so that people can enjoy the full gardening experience at home.

 

"We're so grateful to Tong and to Westland for this generous donation. This will allow a greater percentage of the profits from our online shop to go towards our life-saving mental health services that are currently busier than ever."

 

Phil Hemmings, Tong's garden sundries and Christmas buyer, said: "We're delighted to support the Cellar Trust and wish them all the best with their fundraising. Mental health problems affect everyone in different ways, and they can be devastating. The Trust's purpose is to support people when they face these challenges, and to empower them to move forward. 

 

"The Trust was our charity of the year in 2017-8 and we raised over £8,500 for them and welcomed some of their clients for work experience in the garden centre, so it's a charity that is close to our hearts."

 

Tong Garden Centre occupies a 19 acre site in Tong village. It is one of Yorkshire's biggest independent garden centres with 125,000 square feet of retail space and parking for up to 700 cars.

 
On-line hit for Wild Bird Care

Are Wild Bird Care sales in garden centres dropping due to a switch to internet shopping?  The GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Index for November was down 12% on last year and is cumulatively down by 15% for the year...


 

Are Wild Bird Care sales in garden centres dropping due to a switch to internet shopping?  The GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Index for November was down 12% on last year and is cumulatively down by 15% for the year.

 

At a recent GFK presentation of overall market data, including high street and DIY they proposed that wild bird care feed sales have moved to on-line purchases and delivery.  Are you seeing that too?

 

Highlights of the week were:

  • RHS Suet Balls 60 Tub are the No 1 Wild Bird care product in the GTN EPoS data for the third week in the last four weeks.
  • Henry Bell Fat Balls, pack of 6 are the highest chart climber, up by 24 places to No 14.
  • Smart Garden Products Original Dining Station, Black, is the highest new entry for the week, in at No 35.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

 
Scholarship for students with environmental solutions

If you’re a student with a passion for ‘green’ horticulture apply for the £1,500 John Gibson Environmental Scholarship...


 

If you’re a student with a passion for ‘green’ horticulture apply for the £1,500 John Gibson Environmental Scholarship.

 

Part of the David Colegrave Foundation Scholarship Season, this award wants to know your interest in environmental solutions and sustainable applications and how you see them advancing commercial horticulture.

 

Juliet Turner (above) won the John Gibson Environmental Scholarship last year while studying the Foundation Degree Horticulture at CAFRE - Greenmount College. She comments: “Winning this Scholarship gave me the financial freedom to pursue a number of horticultural interests. The support was extremely useful in helping to fund college tuition and accommodation fees and covering travel expenses for a number of training opportunities. I used some of the funding to attend two training courses and I am sure that being the recipient of the Scholarship also helped in gaining two paid horticultural positions over the summer in a beautiful private garden and with the National Trust.”

 

Juliet adds: “Thank you very much to the David Colegrave Foundation and to John Gibson - you have helped me learn and experience so much in the last enjoyable few months and I am very grateful to have had the financial support to help continue developing my horticultural skills. I am excited to explore the opportunities a career in sustainable horticulture will open up for me.”

 

This scholarship recognises John Gibson’s keen interest in environmental solutions that can advance commercial horticulture in a sustainable manner. John dedicated 65 years of his life to the industry, forging a fine international reputation. After starting his career at Bees Seeds, John went on to work at Colegrave Seeds with the late David Colegrave and was at the forefront of the development of the market for hybrid seeds and seedlings. In his time, John has seen the beginning of the trial grounds at West Adderbury, which are now part of Ball Colegrave's annual new variety showcase, he has spent 30 years judging the trials grounds at Wisley Gardens, and since his retirement he has served as a Trustee for the David Colegrave Foundation until recently stepping down.

 

The David Colegrave Foundation Scholarship Season is open now until 31 January 2021.

 

More colleges are encouraged to get on board and get their horticulture students applying.

 

To apply visit www.davidcolegravefoundation.org.uk

 
Increased Christmas sales despite less customers

Less customers = increased sales. Who’d have believed that would be the situation for Christmas sales in this strangest of years?


 

Less customers = increased sales. Who’d have believed that would be the situation for Christmas sales in this strangest of years?

 

In spite, or as a result of the social distancing measures at garden centres the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Christmas Products index was up by 11% on last year to set a new all time November sales record for Christmas.

 

Highlights of the week were:

  • History & Heraldry Personalised Christmas Elves move up one to No 1.
  • Kaemingk Small Gutter Hooks, pack of 24, are the highest new entry at No 25.
  • Playwrite’s Christmas Jingle Stick is the highest Christmas Chart climber moving up 20 places to No 28.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

 
The best of last week's

If you missed last week's GTN Xtra, below are the most-read stories...


 
Garden Centres put the positive stories about retailing during Lockdown

GTN Xtra has been speaking with garden centre owners and managers about how they have been pro-actively managing customer safety during Lockdown 2...


 

 

Following last week’s burst of media stories about queues outside garden centres and knock on effects of cars parking on roadsides when centre car parks were closed GTN Xtra has been speaking with garden centre owners and managers over the weekend to find out more about the measures they have been putting in place to keep their customers and their staff safe while they, very gratefully, trade through Lockdown 2 and cope with the added pressures of customers wanting to shop Christmas as well as their gardening and plant essentials.

 

Let’s start at Ayletts where Adam Wigglesworth sent us photo’s of their “Shop and Go” banners (above). Adam explained: “We've got this massive banner outside that says, we are running a shop and go model.

“We're not encouraging people to browse we are encouraging people to shop efficiently.

“That's why we've created more till points and if you're coming for your Christmas tree, you can literally buy it in the open, leave through an open air till, get back in the car, done.

“Genuinely, every single thing we do is driven at the moment by trying to manage the risk to customers and staff. That is really what it is. I'm sorry that you're not browsing. I'm sorry that we haven't got as many amazing displays, but we've got some and we've kept the magic of Christmas but we've tried to do it in a way that means you don't get mobbed by other people.

“That's the shop and go model. It doesn't mean you can't have a nice experience, but we don't want people to be here for four hours. That's not the model we're on at the moment. That's why we won't be opening our coffee shop.

“You'll see the banner says we're limiting numbers in the shops, so please shop as efficiently as possible. Because every person who takes a really long time shopping is making another person wait in the car park and then they're increasing their risk because although they are standing with their face mask on they're still near other people. So, everyone has to be thoughtful and help. And that's the message we're trying to get across.”

 

Back in April Derek Bunker at Altons in Essex predicted that Christmas would be big this year. How right he has been proved, despite having to implement measures to reduce the number of customer sin the garden centre.  “The way we've coped with it is we have restricted the parking spaces. We shut off an area of the car park, so that meant we could get so many cars in. If you can't get so many cars and you don't have so many people in, you solve one of your problems.

“If you come here, you drive down the road and there's a queue to get in the car park you decide to either wait in the car or you drive on because you're not going to do it. So, you're disappointed, but you're not annoyed.

“What we then do is we have a monitor on the door and we have people advising him when its OK to let customers in. At the same time, we also make sure that before they go in the shop, they're either wearing their face masks or they show us their exemption. We've had a few arguments about that because although they don't have to show me the exemption, I say you're quite right but by law I don't have to let you in.

“People are coming to the garden centre because they want to cheer themselves up. A lot of people have a lot of spare cash compared with normal because they can't go out for a meal, they can't go on holiday. Whereas they might normally have twenty five, thirty pounds to spare, they've got fifty or sixty spare now and saying we're going to go and buy ourselves a big reindeer or a big artificial tree or whatever it might be. I think people are cheering themselves up.

“Now I’m interested in all the potential gardening gifts and great ideas for all those new customers who are more garden aware.”

 

In the North West, Matthew Bent, who has been managing Bents Garden & Home remotely due to one of his children contracting COVID-19, told us: “Our car park has been fine. We've only been up to 70 percent of capacity in the car park. it's not been too bad, but queues to get into the centre have been long.

“The worst day actually is a Sunday. You can see the conversion rate in the week is really high. Then it drops on a Saturday and then on Sunday it just drops to the floor. So, everybody is going out on a Sunday, not buying, they're just going to look around and spending ages in the store, which makes the queues even worse on a Sunday.

“We spent a huge amount time last week, expanding the queues to two and a half rather than two metres and made them wider outside to make sure people are social distancing.

“We have been so careful with everything directed to customers, with any non-essential email or non-essential tweet is saying you can just come to us for essentials, if you are buying non-essentials please use on-line.

“One of the things we're considering is do we actually limit the numbers of people coming in next year? Because it is a pleasure to shop. It's so much easier to actually get around. And I think people are just doing it one shop rather than a number of shops. But I think we are missing those customers who just come along to look and they might pick up a couple of things along the way.

“I know not many people talk about it, but our plants sales are still massively increasing. It's phenomenal. Planted containers, for example, are massive at the moment and we're doing so many more of those. Compost, is still massively increasing and even plant pots and containers are still selling.

 

From South Wales, Nicola Pugh and Roger Crookes at Pughs Garden Centres report: “From the outset Pughs have seen the need to demonstrate careful management of both numbers and customer flow around their garden centres. It is not easy, it requires extra effort, and patience, from everyone on the premises.

“We cannot expect to able to live or shop in quite the same way as we used to, at this stage at least, if we are going to be able to beat this virus.

“We have been overwhelmed by the messages of support and appreciation from our customers; seeing and hearing the joy customers get from their gardens, and garden centre visits, has been a real encouragement to keep on trying to adapt to the ever changing retail environment.

“The autumn lock downs have been more tricky because the weather is less conducive to queuing, but again our customers have been amazing and patiently queued when required.

“Pughs were one of the first retailers I have seen to use an electronic number counter linked to a traffic light system at the front doors.

“Part of the problem, I think, is that garden centres are enjoyed as browsing destinations – we all love to walk around looking at the plants etc and that may not be practical when the centres are running at capacity during times of peak demand. So we have to try and help our customers make their essential purchase decisions and move through the centre quickly, this is not the way we like to operate but we have to be realistic and fair to the customers who are waiting outside … and generally it seems to work.

 

In Scotland Ken Cox at Glendoick Garden Centre told us:At 7pm last night (Friday) we were sent a Scottish Government announcement that Santa experiences had to move outside.

“Our Santa experience was due to open at 10.30 on Saturday morning. So at 9am, 6 of us moved the whole thing out into our covered outdoor space, hung lights built the sleigh, decorated trees and put in some heating. We have managed to comply with the sensible Scottish Government advice. We opened on time and lots of happy children have been through our socially distanced Santa experience this weekend.

 “We are steady but not overwhelmed and are offering a safe and hopefully satisfying shopping experience which our customers are complimenting us on.

“We have a gate on our Christmas shop so that when it gets busy people have to wait. 2 members of staff handle the queue.

 

Back into Essex and Simon Bourne at Perrywood said “We’ve installed new screens between the tills so that all of them can be open so we don’t get long queues there and we’ve also opened extra tills in the planteria and Christmas Tree sales area.

“We’ve just added Christmas Trees to our compost Drive Thru, so customers can buy a fresh tree without leaving their car if they wish.”

Perrywood have also put up videos on the social media channels asking customers to consider coming in small groups this year.

 

James Debbage at Green Pastures in Norfolk says he’s seen far fewer visitors than normal coming to the site during Lockdown 2 due to the closure of their restaurant. “We don’t have a Christmas decorations department like the bigger centres and so we haven’t had that draw either.

“We have however enjoyed a moderate increase in visitors to our farm shop and our post office counter, both of which provide essential goods and services to our local community. Visitors are carefully managed by numbers being restricted in the respective shops at any one time and there are strict one-way systems in place.

“We have recently launched a new website www.greenpasturesnursery.co.uk which includes a Green Pastures webshop for the very first time! This is currently just for CLICK AND COLLECT for customers who don’t wish to be as safe as possible and not come into the store and browse. It’s an ideal for service for those who want to shop online but still get their hands on goods instantly, whilst still supporting a local independent business.  This has suddenly proved very popular in the last couple of weeks for Christmas trees, tree stands and food and drink purchases.  It’s taken some time to get off the ground but it’s now a great asset to us and to our customers, especially now.”

 

Nigel Wallis at Baytree near Spalding told GTN Xtra: “At both centres we have been counting customers in and we are still using the HTA guidelines, especially at the weekends, with extra walkie talkies for ease.

“As we have a new one way in and one way out exiting through our new farm shop, which is working really well, we have moved disabled and parent child parking to middle of car parks and had it all re lined.

“To be honest apart from the odd moan about the one way system (mainly the regulars who don’t like change) we have had great positive comments about how safe people feel.”

 

David Yardley told us that whilst the Klondyke Group have been busy the past few weeks they have not had a big issue with queues at the centres. “It might be different now the real trees are in stock but we are doing some late nights at centres to spread the sales out and with no Santa’s grottos or Christmas events customers aren’t staying as long as previous years.

“When the restaurants reopen next week at some of the centres, (5 centres are in tier 3 so won’t have a restaurant open) there are fewer covers so we don’t see that being too much of an issue either. We are still controlling numbers coming into store, having one-way systems, hand sanitiser etc so our customers are generally feeling safe and happy to visit.

“We have not had to limit car parking spaces or had any traffic issues, at least no so far but are keeping an eye on this and will react if we have to.”

 

Gerald Ingram at Planters in the West Midlands, sent us a copy of an e-mail he sent to his local environmental officer which received a positive response:

“I’m sorry you received a complaint about us this morning.   Although the store was busy over the weekend customer numbers are down on last year, 35% less yesterday.

“We have a number of measures in place which I will list for you.

  • All staff are temperature checked on arrival and that is recorded.  They are wearing masks throughout the premises not just on the shop floor.   We have screens in place not just between customer and staff but also in our offices between staff.  Staff numbers are limited in staff rooms etc.
  • We have a dozen hand sanitiser stations for staff and customer use, positioned on the entrance door and at points around the store.
  • We have someone on the door all weekend and busy periods through the week.  They are there to space customers out as they enter the store.
  • We find that having someone on the door means more people hand sanitise as they enter.
  • We have signage along the queuing area reminding customers of our procedures, hand face space  etc
  • Very few customers enter the store without wearing a facemask and most of those not wearing them are wearing a lanyard.
  • We are discouraging dogs in store as they don’t help with social distancing.
  • We have a one way system in place.
  • We have already removed several bottle necks and more were identified over the weekend and are being removed now.
  • We have used social media to encourage more shoppers onto week days and away from weekends.
  • We used to have very busy Wednesdays because of our Over 60s club where a discount is offered.  We now offer that 5 days a week rather than just the one day.
  • We are also promoting our phone and collect service.
  • We only have one internal concession, Cotton Traders and that is closed.
  • We will be using the Tannoy to remind customers on distancing.
  • We are operating all five tills each and every day to get customers out of the store as quickly as possible.
  • The restaurant is closed as well as Skytrail.
  • We do have signs around the store encouraging quick visits

“We have seen an uplift in trade (although fewer customers) and we put this down to shops being closed elsewhere and people putting up their own decorations earlier. We suspect once we get to December our trade will subside as more shops open and people have completed putting up their decorations.

“The real Reindeer will not arrive until after the 1st December and if lock down continues they will not arrive until that is lifted.  However, the reindeer being outside will help draw customers outside rather than being inside. 

“We do plan on running the Santa grotto but after the 2nd December and as long as lock down is not extended.  We have already cancelled and refunded November bookings.

“The grotto used to comprise of mixed family groups traveling through four rooms before exiting with a photo and gift.

“This year there will single family activities on tables under cover but outside.   These will be supervised by masked Elves and Mrs Christmas.   The adults must wear masks and we are planning on taking the temperature of all participants.

“One family at a time will then be shown into Santa.  He will be positioned with a physical barrier between him and the family.  The child will help themselves to a gift and photos will be taken by parents if they wish but at a 2 m distance.”

 

Will Blake at St Peters in Worcester, who got shut down by his local environmental officers back in May says he’s had nothing but good feedback from their visits during this Lockdown.  “Last time around we moved our entrance to give us a better one way system. We haven't moved it this time. We're bringing them in through the entrance, but we're wrapping them right the way round our plant area because that's covered but outside. So we’ve got about 80 meters of queue that's under cover but in the plant area, where all our impulse plant purchases are strategically displayed.

“We've got various queuing marshalls. They are all on radios and they hold up the queue depending on the flow in front of them.

“We don't just base it on the number like we did in the early days, we just base it on the flow of people into each area.  We manage each area, not just on a very simple number in the centre overall.

“Then we've got the Garden Radio Social Distancing messages, and we're also putting our own out every 15, 20 minutes or so, just asking people to make their selections as fast as possible in a nice way and to keep their kids by their sides, because that's one of the problems when you get kids all over the place, it’s quite hard to control the flow of people.”

 

Police were called to Whitehall Garden Centre in Lacock last weekend after complaints of cars being parked on verges nearby.

The garden centre moved quickly to try to solve the problem and issued the following statement: “Firstly we would like to apologise for the distress caused to the residents and the surrounding communities that were affected by the cars parked dangerously along Corsham Road over the weekend.

“We experienced an unexpectedly large number of customers arriving at the Garden Centre over the weekend. At 10:30am on Sunday we were already at our max capacity, with both car parks full and a two-hour queue outside the centre.

“As a result, we made the decision to shut the gates to discourage more cars entering the car park. But regrettably as a result a number of these people took it upon themselves to park a mile from the garden centre along Corsham Road towards Corsham.”

 

Tong Garden Centre has also experienced queuing outside it store because of a reduced number of customers being allowed in at any one time.

Managing director Mark Farnsworth said: “We have had queues to get into the garden centre because we are limiting numbers inside the building to make it easy for everyone to adhere to social distancing rules.

“This is normally a very busy time of year for us and we would normally have over four times the number of people in store and in our restaurants, the restaurants are obviously closed at the moment.

“By making it easy for people to socially distance then we know our customers and team will feel safe and that’s vitally important to us all. We have had lots of positive feedback from customers as to how safe they feel right from May when we reopened.”

 

Meanwhile, Brigg Garden Centre has cancelled its Santa’s Grotto experience as Tier 3 restrictions are imposed on northern Lincolnshire. The centre said: “Santa has been in touch. He had heard the news of the nationwide restrictions that came into effect. He was looking forward to seeing you at the Brigg Grotto Experience however he has, with a heavy heart, decided that he must isolate and will not be leaving Lapland until his big flight on Christmas Eve night. Santa sends his apologies and looks forward to visiting you during the hours before Christmas morning. Remember to go to sleep nice and early.”

 

Alan Roper, who has been in Guernsey since March and has recovered from a COVID Infection told GTN Xtra that the Blue Diamond Garden Centres were working to slightly below the government guidelines for number so customers allowed in stores. “We have bought systems that count people in and out of the buildings.

“There's a screen on the service desk that shows how many people are in the building at any one time and when it hits the limit we then stop people coming in until the limit goes down and we've just increased the visibility by plugging in traffic lights so the customer can see red and green, as you would if you were at a junction. So, it goes red and then they wait, and it goes green and they go. It saves having people with counters on their phones or manually counting people in.

“We've been inspected numerous times by various local authorities, a number of centers, as is its their job. And we've been found to be on the right side every time.”

It was the investigation of a complaint at Cadbury Garden Centre that led to “Garden Centre Queue Chaos” story in the Express, sadly illustrated with this picture:

Shame the photo editor doesn’t realize Wisteria does not bloom in November.

Alan went on to say that Plants had been up to 90% up across the group in November. “Last week was the first week where it calmed down to about 60%. The figures are amazing.

“The other thing we've done is communicate with our three quarters of a million Blue Diamond Club members that on our website they can look, they can do click and collect, they can buy online, they can do home delivery.

“All the Christmas is there, all of clothing is there. We've said to people, you don't have to come in, but you can still get everything you need on the website.

“We had a really nice comment from a family that had a child who had been shielding and had to isolate for ages. They were so grateful they could go online and have their bird food delivered because the child liked feeding the birds and they just couldn't get out to buy any.

 

The last words, for the time being, go to Martin Stewart of Stewarts in Dorset and Hampshire: “We're absolutely fine. We haven't made anyone redundant all the way through. We didn't think he was going to be necessary and it turned out it wasn't necessary. I think the team feel cared for. They feel safe. I'm in there most days, certainly Broomhall and Christchurch and you're like we're all fine. And the team spirit is really high.

“We chose not to advertise the fact that we were fortunate enough to open. We said let's just go slowly. Let's say it build because it could we could get too busy and we have got steadily busier. But we're very grateful that we started off. We saw after sort of 40 percent a year and then 45, 50, 55, 60. And now we're doing, you know, budget plus excluding coffee shop. So we're pretty pleased with the way it's gone. And I think that enabled us to just learn about the levels because we really were pushing our boat out into the complete unknown. The last thing I wanted was queues getting into the car park, queues at the doors, queues at the tills, around Christmas. That was not going to do us any good at all.

“We're being quite respectful about the fact that we're really fortunate to have been able to stay open.”

 

If you’d like to add your comments about your customer experience management during Lockdown 2 please use the comments button below or e-mail trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk.

 

Remember there is a category for The Greatest COVID Safe Christmas Team in GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards, see details here.

 
Hillier to Open New Garden Centre at Syon Park Estate

Hillier Garden Centres and the Syon Park Estate have announced the Spring 2021 opening of Hillier Syon Park...


Hillier Garden Centres and the Syon Park Estate have announced the Spring 2021 opening of Hillier Syon Park.

 

Hillier will work with the Estate to transform the garden centre with both businesses investing significantly to improve the site. Through this new centre, Hillier looks forward to being part of the local community, sharing the company’s passion for plants, offering gardening expertise and becoming a friendly destination for people to meet, eat and be inspired. This acquisition will also create a number of jobs locally.

 

Hillier is a horticulture business with more than 155 years of expertise, founded by Edwin Hillier in Hampshire in 1864. Today, the company owns 17 garden centres across the South of England – including five centres acquired from Wyevale in 2019 – grows around 1 million plants a year across its Hampshire nurseries and is the largest grower of semi-mature trees in Europe. Hillier is proud to remain a family-run business to this day, with the fifth generation actively involved.

 

Following handover of the site, both Hillier and the Estate will be investing significantly into Hillier Garden Centre Syon Park to transform the visitor experience. True to the Hillier mission to inspire the creation of green living spaces for now and the future, visitors will be able to look forward to browsing a great range of top-quality plants. Many of these will be grown by Hillier at the company’s Nurseries in Hampshire. Organised in plant areas using ‘plant for purpose’ displays, gardeners will easily be able to find the right plant for the right place. For any queries, the plant experts at Hillier will always be on hand to help.

 

Hillier will be introducing its popular Gardening Club to Syon Park — in a member survey, 96% of current Hillier Gardening Club members said they would recommend membership to friends and family. Joining is free, with membership benefits including exclusive offers, points every time you shop, inspiring gardening magazines and more. 

 

The new Hillier Garden Centre is intended to be a place for the community. New menus will also be introduced at the Restaurant and Coach House creating a space for people to meet together among the beauty of plants. A farm shop will also be included on site, selling produce from local suppliers.

 

“We are delighted to be adding Syon Park to our Hillier Garden Centres family,” comments Chris Francis, Hillier Garden Centre and Wholesale Nurseries Director. “Syon Park is an outstanding destination in south west London and a great fit with our existing centres. Not to mention already being part of our Hillier heritage, with the company founder working there many decades ago! We are looking forward to getting to know the local gardening communities and inspiring them with our great range of quality plants, Hillier expertise and creating a real destination for them. It is very exciting times ahead!”

 

“We are very pleased to welcome Hillier to the Syon Park Estate and look forward to working alongside them on the transformation of Syon garden centre,” comments Simon Prior. “The plans we have in place are incredibly exciting and will create a high-quality location for visitors to enjoy the new centre and explore the House and Gardens. That the Hillier family already has a horticultural connection with Syon Park makes the fit even better. We look forward to the centre opening its doors and welcoming people to see the changes in the spring.”

 

Visit hillier.co.uk to find out more about Hillier Garden Centres 

 
British nurseries are amongst the most eco-friendly on the planet, not that you’d know from watching Gardeners’ World

Peter Seabrook is sick and tired of our industry being critised, particularly by TV gardening presenters. So in The Sun at the weekend he put forward this case in answer to the critics...


Peter Seabrook is sick and tired of our industry being critised, particularly by TV gardening presenters. So in The Sun at the weekend he put forward this case in answer to the critics:

 

From The Sun Gardening pages, Saturday 28th November 2020.

 

The British nursery industry is one of the most eco-friendly on the planet, not that you’d know from watching Gardeners’ World.

 

Britain has some of the most efficient, high-tech, environmentally and sustainability aware nurseries in the world. They are using biofuel boilers for heating, in some cases growing acres of coppice willow to grow their own wood chips.

 

These greenhouses’ heating pipes can have the water flow reversed in the day to remove excessive heat and convey it into insulated reservoirs, ready to return into the houses again on cold nights. Shading screens also protect plants from scorching sun during the day and can be drawn at night to reduce radiation heat loss.

 

The staging upon which the plants are grown in such glasshouses is on rollers to reduce the number of paths and increase plant populations. These feature flood benches to conserve water and irrigate plants from below, reducing the incidence of soft rot diseases. Rainwater is collected from roofs and cleaned through sand and reed beds, with slow-release fertilisers reducing nitrate leaching.

 

Pests and diseases are controlled biologically, reducing the need for pesticides, while recyclable materials are now widely used for pots and carry trays. This efficiency, coupled with remarkable skill, has resulted in some plant prices being lower than they were 20 years ago for better-quality plants.

 

It should come as no surprise, therefore, that the trade is incensed that a TV gardening presenter recently wrote: “We should not be buying cheap, mass-produced, disposable plants. We should either grow them ourselves or buy them locally from small producers.”

 

No mention, of course, that most small local producers buy their seedlings and cuttings from these mass producers, who also supply home gardeners via mailorder specialists with literally hundreds of millions of young plants, so we can grow our own every year. Indeed, the BBC’s Gardeners’ World actually uses mass-produced plants in its own garden!

 

In 1976, there were just three staff making this series – a producer/director, their PA and presenter who recorded two 30-minute programmes in a day. Fee for the presenter was £75 per programme, which also included all research and answering viewers’ letters. The audience was four times larger than it is today and presumably the mail considerably more.

 

Why does today’s programme require five researchers? And why are there so many people named when the credits roll at the end of each episode? Yet another mystery is why horticulture shows come off the air in the autumn, when gardening certainly continues and gardeners have more time on dark evenings to tune in.

 

There used to be a gardening spot on BBC1’s daytime show Pebble Mill At One from September to May, and I do not remember them once running out of subject material. It must be time that a professionally trained horticulturist, with commercial experience and gardening skills, was recruited to rebuild the reputation of Gardeners’ World.

 

 

 
Restaurant gets star billing at redeveloped centre

A superb new restaurant and coffee lounge called the Summerhouse is one of the many impressive features of a transformed garden centre in Hampshire...


 

A superb new restaurant and coffee lounge called the Summerhouse is one of the many impressive features of a transformed garden centre in Hampshire.

 

Silversprings Garden Centre in Fontley Road, Titchfield, has been redeveloped both inside and outside to make it into a destination centre, and after months of work it has re-opened for business.

 

Head of business development Deborah Mills said: “We started our transformation just before the first lockdown and as it hit, so were we. We could not get the materials to finish the site and make it safe for visitors. It impacted everything from standard supplies, down to tabletops, landscape materials, ground works and general products.

 

“But we have been lucky enough to survive all that it has thrown at us and have a bright future ahead of us. Next up is a great new website ready for our next phase of the journey.”

 

The centre was bought by Mike Jarvis, owner of Abbey Garden Buildings and Borderland Fencing, in 2018.

 

 

“We had started a two-year plan before the Covid-19 pandemic struck,” Deborah told GTN Xtra. “Then we decided it was better to do all the larger groundworks whilst in lockdown so there were no health and safety risks to the members of the public or staff.

 

“Coming out of the latest lockdown will help us to hit the ground running and in with a good chance of a promising year in 2021. 

 

“The centre has been totally redeveloped. We have everything from plants, garden rooms, indoor/outdoor furniture, outdoor heating, firepits, gifts, landscaping and fencing and the most fabulous new restaurant and coffee lounge called the Summerhouse @Silversprings.

 

“We also have big plans in the coming years and will be looking to support our local area and promote Hampshire produce too.”

 

 

Silversprings re-opened to customers this week although some parts of the centre will still be closed until lockdown restrictions are relaxed. But a grand official opening will have to wait until next year.

 

“Our official grand opening will come in the Spring when we are in a position to celebrate in style with the local community,” said Deborah.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp

Haskins Garden Centre in Snowhill, Crawley, has opened its doors to customers following a 12-month refurbishment costing £15m...


Read more and see GTN Xtras photo tour of the new centre

Haskins Garden Centre in Snowhill, Crawley, has opened its doors to customers following a 12-month refurbishment costing £15m.

 

The new centre boasts a retail space of 11,813 sq.m., including an outdoor plant area and 440-seat restaurant complete with a newly installed pizza oven. Additional space has also been created to accommodate 170 restaurant guests on an outdoor patio.

 

Up to 70 new jobs have been created to accommodate the centre's expansion. Car parking has increased to 346 spaces.  See GTN Xtra's photo tour of the new centre below.

 

Chief executive Julian Winfield said the Snowhill team worked tirelessly to ensure the centre was able to remain open for the majority of the project, with minimal disruption.

 

“We can't wait to receive our customers' feedback on our new and improved facilities,” he added. “Over the years, we have built a loyal customer following and we are proud to be able to give back to them in this way with our new expanded centre.”

 

Haskins acquired the Snowhill site in 2003, inheriting a number of ageing buildings.

 

Haskins also has centres in Ferndown in Dorset, West End in Southampton and Roundstone in West Sussex. The family business recently acquired Forest Lodge Garden Centre, Bird World and Garden Style in Farnham.

 

Pictured (left to right): Julian Winfield, Jamie Haskins, Ally Haskins (married to Jamie) and Warren Haskins, the group's chairman. 

 

The opening event was attended by the current GCA Chairman Mike Burks and three past Chairs; Warren Haskins, Sue Allen and Julian Winfield.

 

 

 
British Garden Centres open their 58th centre at Thatcham

Charles Stubbs, Lewis Fox and Nemanja Tintor, along with the rest of the BGC team, were proud as punch yesterday as their 58th centre at Thatcham in Berkshire opened...


See GTN Xtra's exclusive photo tour of the new centre

Charles Stubbs, Lewis Fox and Nemanja Tintor, along with the rest of the BGC team, were proud as punch yesterday as their 58th centre at Thatcham in Berkshire opened.

 

The centre had been handed back to the landlords during the Wyevale Garden Centres sale of the century in and closed in September 2019 as the owners looked for a new leaseholder.  British Garden Centres took on the site in September 2020 and since then have refreshed the centre, enclosing a walkway at the Restaurant end to allow for extra covers, extending the covered sales area out into the planteria and hard surfacing the overflow car parking area which was previously a field.

 

See GTN Xtra's exclusive photo tour of the new centre below:

 

 

 
Barton Grange Christmas 2020 - Exclusive GTN Xtra Photo Tour

In advance of the launch of GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020, GTN's Northern Correspondent, Steve Myatt, paid a visit to Barton Grange to bring you this first GTN Xtra Christmas photo tour.


In advance of the launch of GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020, GTN's Northern Correspondent, Steve Myatt, paid a visit to Barton Grange to bring you this first GTN Xtra Christmas photo tour.

 

To add your garden centre Christmas photo tour to GTN Xtra simply get snapping and enter The Greatest Christmas Awards.  See the categories here.  Send an e-mail to trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk for more details

 
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week

Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts...


Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.

 

The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2018 as well as 2019 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

 

Access is by subscription only.  For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 07973 504214, e-mail karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

 

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care and Wildlife Care Bestsellers chart for last week are here

 

Highlights of the GTN Christmas Products Bestsellers chart for last week are here

 

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers.  Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.

 

Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.

GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £100m.

Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.

For further information contact karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call 07973504214.

Buy your subscription today and start receiving the GTN Bestsellers charts this week.

All the latest news from the world of pet products


True Instinct to transform into Nature’s Variety

Award-winning experts in natural pet food True Instinct is today announcing it is to rebrand as Nature’s Variety...


Award-winning experts in natural pet food True Instinct is today announcing it is to rebrand as Nature’s Variety.

 

The relaunch comes following the purchase of the Natures Menu portfolio by Spanish dry pet food experts Affinity Petcare earlier this year and will mean the Nature’s Variety range will be aligned with its European counterparts. Nature’s Variety will lead a new era of natural nutrition in pet food, focusing on high-quality ingredients, innovation, and traceability. 

 

Nature’s Variety will be available for retailers to order from mid-February onwards and will feature an even broader range of the products loved by True Instinct dog and cat owners – including the innovative Freeze Dried range which launched in January 2020 following an investment of £2.8m in freeze dried technology. 

 

Nature’s Variety has worked to refine the recipes loved by its customers, while continuing to use the highest quality ingredients from trusted suppliers. The new bold orange packaging will catch the eyes of retailers and customers alike and will provide clear signposting to the brand instore and online. The packaging will display clear and concise information to ensure pet owners are fully aware of the ingredients and processes that have gone into making their pets’ meals.

 

The expanded range features highly nutritional, complete & balanced products in a variety of premium quality deboned meats, with vegetables, botanicals and superfoods and no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. The range will be available for Adult Dog, Small Adult Breeds, Puppy, Adult Cat and Kitten across a number of variants. The much-loved Raw Boost range, which features Freeze Dried pieces, will also be rebranded as Meat Boost, to further highlight the quality meat ingredients in the product. 

 

For retailers, Nature’s Variety has created a 4pp trade booklet which will be issued as a guide to the brand transition and the expanded product range to be used from November onwards, until the official consumer launch in March 2021. The brand has also created roundel stickers for existing True Instinct packaging to promote the transition to Nature’s Variety. There will be a new suite of POS, communicating the new brand, available at the launch, including shelf talkers, FSDUs and freezer graphics. 

 

James Langan, Managing Director of Nature’s Variety, said: “As we transform into Nature’s Variety, we have refined our recipes to offer an even better variety of highest quality natural ingredients, which can be traced back to trusted suppliers, and we are keeping processing to a minimum to keep the goodness locked in. 

 

“This new name shows what we truly stand for - quality, natural ingredients, and reflects the respect that pet owners have always had for their pets and the world around them. Retailers can rest assured that our core values and support will remain the same, and we’ll ensure they are well equipped for the transition.

 

“This rebrand demonstrates our commitment to be clear and open about our ingredients, our sources, our processes and how we’re improving our impact on the planet, so pet owners can have peace of mind in their decision to feed natural pet food. 

 

“We saw an incredible response from both retailers and customers when we launched True Instinct in 2018, and Nature’s Variety will continue to deliver the high quality complete and balanced food loved by all. It is a very exciting time for us and we look forward to welcoming you on the journey ahead.” 

 

Communications to customers on the transition will begin in November on the True Instinct website and social channels, with the view to officially launch in March 2021.

 

 
Gin company launches matching festive jumpers and dog bandanas

Ultra-premium Slingsby Gin has launched a special gift for gin lovers and their furry friends this festive season – a charity Christmas jumper for owners with a matching bandana for dogs...


 

Ultra-premium Slingsby Gin has launched a special gift for gin lovers and their furry friends this festive season – a charity Christmas jumper for owners with a matching bandana for dogs.

 

The exclusive jumper costs £25 and will be available in sizes from Small to XX-large, with the bandana costing £8 (S, M or L). Profits will be donated to Slingsby Gin’s charity partner of the year, Mind. In 2019 alone, Slingsby raised over £2,000 for Mind by taking part in activities such as the Leeds Abbey Dash and the UCI Sportive. 

 

Man’s best friend can dachshund through the snow wearing the limited edition bandana that is the identical pattern to the matching owners jumper. With a traditional design, the classy Christmas jumpers are perfect to spread some festive cheer and get cosy in this Winter.

 

Marcus Black, Co -Founder of Slingsby Gin said: “We’re a really dog friendly company, so it was a no brainer when we were inspired by our furry companions to have a bit of festive fun and create some winter-wardrobe must haves. The limited run of jumpers and bandanas will contribute to our fundraising efforts for our charity partner of the year, Mind. We can’t wait to unleash some joy this holiday season.”

 

Slingsby’s award-winning spirits range is crafted using locally sourced botanicals that are synonymous with the beautiful and restorative nature of Harrogate. The brand bears the name of William Slingsby, the first to discover the restorative properties of Harrogate’s famous spa water wells. The local ingredients are complimented with water drawn from the world-famous Harrogate aquifer. pure single grain spirit and a handful of the finest ingredients sourced from around the world.