North East and North West regional members of The Garden Centre Association collected their 2017 regional awards during a presentation last Wednesday, July 19, at Klondyke Strikes Wilmslow Garden Centre.

In the North East, Cowell’s Garden Centre was awarded Garden Centre of the Year in the Garden Centre (GC) category and Tong Garden Centre received Garden Centre of the Year in the Destination Garden Centre category. In the North West Fron Goch Garden Centre (GC) and Bents Garden & Home, above, (DGC) received the accolade.

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “The second round of our regional awards meetings was extremely enjoyable and we’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Klondyke Strikes Wilmslow Garden Centre for being wonderful hosts.

“It was great to see our members picking up their awards, which included Klondyke Lady Green Garden Centre collecting the Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre in the North West and Tong Garden Centre in the North East.

“The winners of The Barton Grange Trophy for Innovation and Creativity were Cowell’s Garden Centre in the North East and Bents Garden & Home in the North West.”

The next regional awards meeting for the Midlands will take place at Planters, Tamworth on Tuesday, July 25.

The full results for the North East and North West regions GCA area awards are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:

North East

Garden Centre of the Year: Cowell’s Garden Centre (GC) and Tong Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Customer Service: Klondyke Stokesley Garden Centre

Environment and Community Award for Best Environmental Practice: Klondyke Stokesley Garden Centre

The Barton Grange Trophy for Innovation and Creativity: Cowell’s Garden Centre

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Tong Garden Centre

The ifse Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant: Klondyke Northallerton Garden Centre (GC) and Tong Garden Centre (DGC)

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Cowell’s Garden Centre (GC) and Tong Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: RHS Harlow Carr Plant Centre and Gift Shop (GC) and Heighley Gate Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Coletta & Tyson joint winner with Klondyke Beverley Garden Centre (GC) and Tong Garden Centre joint winner with Langlands Garden Centre - Shiptonthorpe (DGC)

North West

Garden Centre of the Year: Fron Goch Garden Centre (GC) and Bents Garden & Home (DGC)

Best Customer Service: Barton Grange Garden Centre

Environment and Community Award for Best Environmental Practice: Bents Garden & Home

The Barton Grange Trophy for Innovation and Creativity: Bents Garden & Home

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Klondyke Lady Green Garden Centre

The ifse Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant: Fron Goch Garden Centre (GC) and Bents Garden & Home (DGC)

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Fron Goch Garden Centre (GC) and Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Fairways Garden Centre – Macclesfield (GC) and Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Fron Goch Garden Centre (GC) and Gordale Nurseries (DGC)

The GCA represents nearly 200 garden centres nationwide. Through sharing information and its inspection programme the GCA helps members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.

For further information, please call 01244 952170. Alternatively, please visit www.gca.org.uk, log on to www.facebook.com/pages/GardenCentreAssociation or follow the organisation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GC_Association.