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"I just don't get how gardening is deemed non-essential then certain supermarkets put big banners with get ready for spring," more post Easter feedback
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After publishing GTN Xtra last night we've now had feedback from other centres including a record-breaking day online on Easter Monday at Longacres, how a veg hub is working wonders in Cornwall, how 12 vans are delivering up to 200 orders a day from Coolings, feedback from Matthew at Bents and comment from deepest Kent's Grovewell Garden Centres...
"I just don't get how gardening is deemed non-essential then certain supermarkets put big banners with get ready for spring etc and roll it out also selling clothes, homewares etc. It just seems like everyone is finding ways to bend the rules."
“It’s very intense work and there is no let up all day. We're still all smiling though, and it just hammers home to me what a great crew I have.”
“We know that we are making no more money (or losing no less) than those who have closed their doors completely and furloughed all their staff. What we do have is a core of enthusiastic staff who are keeping busy and that has to be a good thing for mental wellbeing as well as keeping some wheels of trade in motion which is good for the local economy.”
“We had a record-breaking day online on Easter Monday when we opened up a new load of delivery slots. Demand is exceptional and we’ve had some great feedback from people who are immensely grateful for our delivery services.”
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Read comments from Grovewell, Bents, Coolings, Longacres and Pengelly Garden Centres
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After the quietest Easter ever, how are you and your team?
Usually on Easter Monday, GTN Xtra’s Trevor Pfeiffer contacts garden centres to ask how their Easter trading has gone, but not this year. Instead we just asked: How are you and your team? And how are delivery services going? Will Click and Collect be part of your recovery strategy?
"It’s been manic! With three vehicles we’re managing 100 deliveries a day from phone orders."
“We’ve made sure we found a way through it all, after 49 years building the business I’m not about to throw in the towel."
"We have plans for changing our shop around to help customer flow and reduce the 'browsing' that we spend so much time perfecting."
"In conversations with customers on the phone especially the elderly it’s clear that many are bewildered and a call that takes 30 seconds to take an order often extends to 10 or 25 minutes as the team just chat."
“I have had my battle with the virus but now clear...
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Read comments from Green Pastures, Alton Garden Centre, Caulders, Perrywood, Haskins, The Gardens Group, Planters & Garden King, Fron Goch and Blue Diamond
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Good Friday saw #floralfriday Cheer and much needed donations for Greenfingers Charity
On #floralfriday (Friday 10th April 2020), Easter bonnets, floral shirts, dresses, bears, gnomes, a look back at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and much more helped to ensure Greenfingers Charity remained in the hearts and minds of supporters both old and new...
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Neudorff switches focus to online retailers in a bid to drive sales of natural gardening products during peak season consumer lockdown
Neudorff, the pioneer of products for natural gardening, has taken steps to ensure that extensive stocks of its leading product portfolio are readily available via internet-based retailers – in a bid to meet consumer demand during the nationwide lockdown...
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Budding gardeners invited to enter Scarecrow Competition as children take to the vegetable patch
The Gardens Group, which has three garden centres in Sherborne, Poundbury and Yeovil, is inviting children to build a scarecrow out of recycled items found in their homes and gardens, in order to watch over the growing number of fruit and vegetable patches popping up across the region...
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Primeur’s unbreakable recycled rubber range will remain pristine during the lockdown
Primeur’s new generation of ‘virtually indestructible’ garden ranges, which are renowned for their ability to endure punishing levels of wear and tear without suffering damage, will remain in pristine condition whether garden centres are forced to remain closed for weeks or locked down for months...
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Aspin gift Creme Eggs to NHS hospitals
Last week Aspin, providers of trade eCommerce and rep ordering systems to greeting card publishers, giftware distributors and garden centre suppliers. gifted several local NHS hospitals with 1000s of Crème Eggs...
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Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox...
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Derek Spicer, Kilworth Conifers dies
It is with great sadness that we share the news that Derek Spicer, owner of Kilworth Conifers, passed away on March 30th from complications following surgery for oesophageal cancer. He was 77...
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GTN Xtra - Send to all
If you want to keep your staff up to date with what's happening in the industry during the lockdown how about adding a link to the GTN Xtra weekly e-mail newsletter into your staff communications...
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John Grayson joins Hozelock
Hozelock announces the appointment of John Grayson as Commercial Director for UK and Ireland, Scandinavia and Southern Hemisphere...
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Garden Radio charges on hold
Thanks to help from suppliers and licence authorities Garden Radio charges have been put on hold from Tuesday 24th March 2020 when the lockdown started...
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The best of last week's
If you missed last week's GTN Xtra, below are the most-read stories...
Johnsons of Boston Food Hall open today despite major fire in garden centre yesterday
Despite a major fire at Johnsons of Boston garden centre yesterday it is business as usual for essential food shopping...
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FREE E-commerce Web Site for Garden Centres
GTN Xtra promotion
GrowNation (grownation.co.uk) is a new marketplace platform built to support the industry and make online sales a reality for all. Listing products on the platform couldn't be easier, with payment, order management, customer messaging and more built-in and ready to go...
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For sale - A long Established Garden Centre Business
Available for sale due to retirement...
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Horticulture hits the national and local headlines
Last week saw the most column inches about gardening and horticulture for years as the plight of growers and retailers hit the headlines...
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The HTA launches ‘Plants Near Me’
To help connect growers with the public, the HTA has launched the ‘Plants Near Me’ webpage – plantsnearme.hta.org.uk, allowing the public to find local growers and garden centres that are offering home delivery...
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Garden Centre Photo Tours
If you've missed one of our popular photo tours of garden centres then click on the links below:
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
GTN Bestsellers Garden Re-Leaf Subscription Offer
As we approach trading times that are uncertain now is a good time to access information that could help with managing sales and expectations during what could be a slow Spring.
Over the coming weeks we’ll be keeping GTN Bestsellers subscribers as informed as possible about what sold when during March, April and May of 2018 and 2013, when we also had slow starts to the season.
Take out a subscription this week and we'll donate money to Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day too...
Read more and subscribe here
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