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Dobbies confirms closure of Antrim Garden Centre
Charlecote, Gates, Ham Street, Hodgehill, Monkton Elm, Pughs, St Peters, Trioscape, Walkers, and Woodbank among the early leaders in voting for GTN's Greatest Restaurant & Food Hall Team Awards
Who are The Greatest Restaurant & Food Hall Teams in garden centres? Customer voting has started, download posters, QR codes and voting forms now
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Dobbies confirms closure of Antrim Garden Centre
Dobbies confirms closure of Antrim store to make way for The Junction’s next chapter

Dobbies has today confirmed it will close its store at The Junction Retail and Leisure Park in Antrim at the end of October following notice being served to the garden centre retailer, as the scheme moves forward with plans to develop the retail and leisure offering at the site...
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Charlecote, Gates, Ham Street, Hodgehill, Monkton Elm, Pughs, St Peters, Trioscape, Walkers, and Woodbank among the early leaders in voting for GTN's Greatest Restaurant & Food Hall Team Awards
As customers get voting in-store and on-line, Charlecote, Gates, Ham Street, Hodgehill, Monkton Elm, Pughs, St Peters, Trioscape, Walkers, and Woodbank are amongst the leaders after the first week of voting.
With two full weeks to go will your customers vote either your Restaurant of Food Hall team as The Greatest?
Full details can be found in the story below where online voting posters and in-store paper voting forms can be downloaded...
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New unfair dismissal rules mean better records matter more than ever
GTN Xtra Promotion: WorkForce Manager

From 1 January 2027, one of the most significant employment law changes in recent years will take effect. Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, employees will gain the right to claim ordinary unfair dismissal after just six months’ continuous service, rather than the current two-year qualifying period...
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Protecting margin in a more cautious garden market
GTN Xtra Promotion: Sunnii Lifestyle

How retailers can buy smarter, manage stock more effectively and make their ranges work harder...
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South Staffordshire garden centre sold to local buyer

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has announced the sale of Pillaton Garden Centre, a well-established garden centre near Penkridge in South Staffordshire. The centre has been acquired by Rupal Holdings Ltd as part of a wider strategic diversification to complement its existing investments in the early years and outdoor learning sectors.
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Strong growth in July's garden centre sales amid challenging weather and economic conditions

This month’s Market Update report from the Horticultural Trades Association reveals a robust performance, with sales rising by +11% compared to July last year and up +17% from July 2024, driven by an increase in both the number of transactions (+6%) and higher average transaction values (+3%)...
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Henry Bell launches feeding haven for small birds
Rising calls from wild bird feeding consumers to help keep larger species and squirrels at bay have been heard loud and clear by Henry Bell & Co, a leading brand in the wild bird care sector...
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Creative Gardens enters a new chapter as second generation leads family business into the future

After more than 40 years building one of Northern Ireland's leading independent garden centre businesses, Creative Gardens founders Diana and Nigel Gass are marking a significant milestone in the company's history. Diana is stepping back from her role as Managing Director while Nigel is retiring from the Board of Directors...
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The Greenfingers Charity calls on Glee to get into full bloom for Floral Thursday

The Greenfingers Charity is reminding everyone heading to Glee on Thursday 10th September to make sure one essential item is firmly on their packing list: something floral!
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National campaign calls for 90 minutes' free parking

Spring & Autumn Fair have launched a new national campaign calling for a minimum of 90 minutes' free parking in town and city centres across England. The campaign follows new research revealing retailers and consumers have independently identified the same practical measure to help encourage more visits to Britain's high streets...
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Scholarship winners discover the diversity of horticulture on Smart Garden Products Development Tour

Six students awarded Smart Garden Products Scholarships by the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation earlier this year have gained a unique insight into the breadth of the horticultural industry through a two-day development tour around Peterborough and Spalding...
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Ex LEON CEO joins speaker roll call for GCA Conference
Former LEON Restaurants CEO John Vincent MBE has been booked to address delegates at the Garden Centre Association’s annual conference in January 2027...
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Growers continue to reduce peat levels in plant production

The latest figures from the HTA show that UK growers and plant producers have continued to make substantial progress in reducing peat use, with peat accounting for just 21.8% of growing media in 2025, down from 34.4% in 2024 and 39.5% in 2023...
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GIMA brings international buyers to Glee

GIMA is helping Glee exhibitors unlock new international opportunities this September with the return of its Gardenex International Hosted Meetings programme...
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Everything you need to know about parking at Glee

As usual, parking is free for all exhibitors, contractors and visitors. This year the NEC has introduced a new parking system to improve car park security, so here's what's changed and what you need to do...
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Kilimanjaro, tribute to Andy Bunker, SOLEX review in GTN magazine July-August Issue
In this issue:
- Kilimanjaro – in the climbers’ words
- A new chapter for garden retail at APAC
- Dragons at Floral Fantasia
- Two shows, one visit – Glee & Autumn Fair
- Andy Bunker tribute
- National Garden Scheme sales opportunities
- GTN’s Greatest Restaurant & Food Hall Garden Centre Team Awards
- Garden timber with provenance from Jagram
- GTN’s SOLEX review
- Dedication to trees at Frank P Matthews
- Restaurants – a strategic asset
- Green innovations – GTN Planteria
- SOLEX 2026 a show to remember – LOFA viewpoint
- Water resilience – HTA viewpoint
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with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox...
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GARDENA and Flymo return to Glee with innovation showcase

Leading garden care brands, GARDENA and Flymo, are set to return to Glee 2026 to showcase a range of innovations designed to help gardeners care for their outdoor spaces with greater ease, efficiency and confidence...
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Applications open for YPHA's 2026-27 Management Development Programme
Applications are now open for the second Young People in Horticulture Association (YPHA) Management Development Programme, with a £1,000 subsidy available for each successful delegate thanks to support from the programme's funding partners, bringing the employer contribution down to just £650 for nine days of residential leadership training, including accommodation and meals...
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Autumn Fair unveils strongest home destination yet

As consumers continue to invest in creating homes that are stylish, comforting and expressive, Autumn Fair 2026 is bringing together its strongest-ever collection of homeware, interiors and lifestyle brands, making its Home, Living & Décor and The Summer House destinations a must-visit for retailers preparing for the busiest buying season of the year...
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Mims Pottery brings new launches, bestselling ranges and first look at Icons to Four Oaks
Mims will return to Four Oaks Trade Show on 2-3 September at Four Oaks Nurseries, Cheshire, with one of its biggest showings of the year across stands C86–C90.
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ElectRoad to make garden retail debut at Glee 2026

Destination EV charging specialist ElectRoad will make its garden retail debut at Glee 2026, bringing a clear commercial message to the sector: your car park could be one of your most underused revenue-generating assets...
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Get your copy of GTN Xtra
with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox...
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Deco-Pak strengthens team with senior management appointment
Deco-Pak has strengthened its senior team with the appointment of Dan Charles as Head of Commercial & Merchandising, adding further garden retail, merchandising and category expertise to the business as it builds towards 2027...
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UK turf industry at ‘defining moment’ as drought and rising costs put future supply at risk
The UK turf industry is facing a defining moment as extreme weather, rising production costs and increasing climate-related risks place unprecedented pressure on growers, the Turfgrass Growers Association has warned.
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‘Living laboratory’ garden exceeds 11 million environmental data records
The high-tech network of environmental sensors in the Natural History Museum’s (NHM) Nature Discovery Garden, supported by The Cadogan Charity, has collected more than 11 million data records in its first year onto the Museum’s pioneering AWS-powered Data Ecosystem...
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HTA responds to the announcement of more drought declarations across the UK
Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), commented: “The pressure on our water resources couldn’t be clearer. The solution to the UK's water challenges lies not just in the amount of rainfall, but in how effectively we capture, store, and manage it..."
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BHETA to host Worldpay webinar on smarter payment solutions
BHETA will host 'Supporting Smarter Payment Solutions with Worldpay', on 3 September at 10am, a webinar exploring how businesses can review their current payment setup, identify opportunities for improvement and make more informed decisions about their payment strategy...
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The best of last week's
If you missed last week's GTN Xtra, below are the most-read stories...
Landmark moment for Notcutts with complete transformation of original garden centre that started it all
Notcutts, the family-owned garden centre group founded almost 130 years ago, has completed a multi-phased transformation of its original historic site in Woodbridge, Suffolk. The project represents a significant investment and Notcutts’ long-term commitment to the future of garden centre retail...
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Raising the Union Flag to celebrate the purchase of the freehold at Gates Woodlands Hinckley
Following a highly successful first year of trading, the Gates family has completed the acquisition of the freehold of its Stapleton site, securing the long-term future of Gates Woodlands Hinckley...
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Mr Fothergill’s combat tough conditions at trial grounds
Challenging conditions have been met head on by the team at Mr Fothergill’s with the show of colour and vigour from plants in the Trials Ground nothing short of a miracle...
Click here to see picture round-up from trials ground
Greenfingers Charity celebrates over £32,000 Summer Ball success as 2027 event launches with Early Bird offer
The Greenfingers Charity is celebrating the success of its 2026 Summer Ball after the spectacular evening raised an incredible £32,000, helping to fund the creation of more magical gardens for children with life-limiting conditions and their families at children's hospices across the UK...
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Vacancy: Retail Development Manager – South West Covering Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset
GTN Xtra Promotion
Woodmansterne Publications is looking for a passionate, customer-focused Retail Development Manager who enjoys building strong relationships and helping our customers grow their businesses through excellent service and commercial insight.
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