The Greatest Christmas Awards were announced at a special party night in Harrogate on Sunday. All the winners received their accolades during the event organised by Garden Trade News at the Majestic Hotel in the town.

In this special edition of GTN Xtra we're publishing all the winners and finalists, plus the first pictures from an event that's been dubbed 'The Greatest Christmas Party Ever'.

"Our Greatest Awards are all about celebrating excellence in garden centre teamwork," said Trevor Pfeiffer, managing director of The Garden Communications and Media Company, publishers of Garden Trade News.

"The Greatest Christmas Awards prove once again that garden centre employees truly do work together to get the best results for their garden centre – they are thinking of Christmas 24/7.

"They’re planning for Christmas – including the events, displays, grottos and food happens all year round, across all departments.

"At Christmas, garden centres make their Christmas retailing wishes come true and from what we’ve seen are the envy of all high street operators. This event applauds that vision, dedication and of course, teamwork."

Trevor, inspired by the magical elf's working in grottos, donned a head elf's costume for the presentations and was joined by Santa to announce the winners, aka HTA Chief Executive Carol Paris.

The Greatest Christmas Sizzle, introduced to acknowledge the efforts of garden centres selling barbecues to customers for cooking their Christmas turkey, was won by Endsleigh Garden & Leisure...



Endsleigh Garden and Leisure with their gold award...



Above: Ruxley picked up the silver Christmas sizzle award.


RESULTS: 

Gold Award: Endsleigh Garden & Leisure

Silver Award: Ruxley Manor

The finalists: Blackbrooks, Cadbury Garden & Leisure, Dobbies Iverness, Endsleigh Garden & Leisure, Garden Pride, Melbicks Garden & Leisure, Perrywood, Ruxley Manor, St Peter's

Silver Award: Barton Grange

Special Award: Ayletts

Gold Award: Chessington and Whitehall Lacock

Silver Award: Ayletts

Finalists: Ayletts, Barton Grange, Bents, Chessington, Frosts Woburn Sands, Raglan, Scotsdales, Walkers Nurseries, Whitehall Lacock

Alison Shead, of Brookside, said: “Our grotto is all about what children want – that may sound obvious but it’s something that’s often overlooked. Our eight-year-old son came up with the idea of having a moon in the display this year, and we’re always listening for good ideas. So much effort goes into our grotto so this award means everything to us.”

Chessington (above left) and Snowdonia (above right) picked up silver awards.



Hetland Garden Centre (above) won The Greatest Grotto Team in Scotland

The top two in The Greatest Christmas Supplier category polled over 60% of the retailer votes, and the final outcome was very close but Kaemingk just pipped Premier Decorations to the gold award.

This award is voted for by garden centre Christmas retailers across the country via GTN, GTN Xtra and from The Greatest Awards judging visits.

Patrick Brinkcate, of Kaemingk, said: “We never expected a foreign supplier to win such an award so it makes us very proud to do so. We really appreciate the support of UK garden centres, and to finally take the gold award after several years of picking up the silver, is a great achievement for the team.”

The Kaemingk team celebrate their gold winning performance (above).



Premier Decorations' John Athwal with the silver award.


RESULTS: 

Gold Award: Kaemingk

Silver Award: Premier Decorations

Companies voted for: Festive, Gisela Graham, History & Heraldry, Kaemingk, Konstmide, Premier Decorations, Sage, Solus, Swift, TJ Collection, Vivid Arts, Winterflora

The Greatest Christmas Display award was strongly contested again this year with three garden centres picking up main awards – Castle Gardens, Endsleigh Garden & Leisure and Barton Grange.



Gold winners – Castle Gardens, Endsleigh and Barton Grange – pick up their Christmas display team awards above.



Jacksons (above left) and Bents (above right) are pictured with their silver Christmas display team awards.


RESULTS: 

Gold Award: Endsleigh Garden & Leisure, Barton Grange, Castle Gardens

Silver Award: Squires Shepperton, Bents, Jacksons

Highly Commended: Van Hage Peterborough, Webbs of Wychbold, All in One

Finalists:  All in One, Barton Grange, Baytree, Bents, Birkacre, Burleydam, Castle Gardens, Endsleigh Garden & Leisure, Gordale, Grosvenor, Irton, British Garden Centre Group, Jacksons, Mains of Drum, Notcutts Norwich, Old Railway Line, Perrywood, Poplars, Raemoir, Silverbirch, Squires Shepperton, Van Hage Great Amwell, Van Hage Peterborough, Walkers Nurseries, Webbs of Wychbold

Jacksons (small centre) Brookside (mid-sized centre), Endsleigh Garden & Leisure (large centre) struck gold in The Greatest Garden Centre Team at Christmas category, as voted for purely by garden centre customers.

Jacksons owner Robert Kingham said: "This is the best award you can win. I didn't think we could achieve this kind of accolade but I'm amazed and thrilled that we have. Our staff appreciate the comments they get from customers, and this award is the icing on the cake."

Brookside are becoming used to winning these awards but it's still a great thrill, admits Alison Shead. "We love Christmas at Brookside and it's great to be appreciated in this way. It makes it all worthwhile."

Endsleigh's manager Val Kempster missed The Greatest Christmas Awards party through ill-health, and marketing director John Moseley said: "We always value this award because it in effect represents feedback from our customers – it's wonderful to know our customers love what we're doing. It's a shame that Val couldn't be here but this win will hopefully help speed her recovery."



Gold award winners – Endsleigh, Jacksons and Brookside.



Merryhatton (above left) and Langlands Leeds (above right) with their silver awards.


RESULTS: 

Gold Award: Jacksons (small centre) Brookside (mid-sized centre), Endsleigh Garden & Leisure (large centre)

Silver Award: Merryhatton (small centre), Dunbar (mid-sized centre), Langlands Leeds (large centre)

Top 10 in alphabetical order (as voted for by customers): Brookside, Dunbar, Eastfield, Endsleigh Garden & Leisure, Huntingdon Garden & Leisure, Jacksons, Langlands Leeds, Merryhatton, Percy Throwers Garden & Leisure, Perrywood.

A raffle with a tremendous array of prizes and in aid of Make A Wish raised a staggering £2,300 at The Greatest Christmas Awards party...

John Athwal, on behalf of Make A Wish appealed for guests to dig deep to help the charity ensure that the wishes of "less fortunate" children came true.

"There are 20,000 children with life-threatening illnesses in this country and you could help to make their last wish come true," said John.

The prizes included:

• A fantastic £4,000 reindeer from Alexander Rose
• £1,000 BBQ from SOLEX
• Two tickets to the semi-final of the AEGON Tennis Tournament at The Queen's Club courtesy of Arena
• Penquins and polar bears from Vivid Arts
• Jeroboam of Champagne from Premier Decorations.

Finalists and invited guests gathered at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate for The Greatest Awards Party.

Music was provided by The Rockits, the excellent Friday night resident band at the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool.

Here are some snapshots of the party goers taken during the big event.

Harrogate Christmas & Gift has seen the biggest first day turnout for many years with the halls of the Harrogate International Centre packed to bursting with visitors from the moment the doors opened at 9.00am on Sunday.

Show organiser Simon Anslow said: “Visitor numbers at the show have been increasing year-on-year, however, footfall has been exceptionally high today with a notable increase in retailers seeking out innovative new home and gift lines.

"Whilst Christmas remains the dominant theme for the show, there has been a significant increase in exhibitors displaying home and gift items for all occasions and this is proving a big pull for not only garden centre buyers, but retailers from gift stores across the board.”

Harrogate Christmas & Gift is open to trade from 9.00am until 6.00pm on Monday and Tuesday and 9.00am until 4.00pm on Wednesday. Entry is free and if you haven’t already pre-registered, you can do so on the door.

Visitors and exhibitors staying in Harrogate are invited to join the organising team for free drinks, entertainment and midnight snacks from 10.00pm at the Majestic Hotel. For more information about the show visit www.harrogatefair.com