GTN Xtra - GTN Xtra - Issue 26 2016

Tesco has appointed investment bank Greenhall & Co to sell its Dobbies Garden Centre business along with other non-core assets, according to Sky News.

Scope for stockists to increase sales via up-selling with Meadow View Stones NEW POS

The need to inspire and educate the consumer to encourage spend has never been greater and with POS merchandising being an intrinsic part of this process Meadow View have re-designed their entire POS collection around this concept...

Early Easter leads to March sales being up 8%

The second week of the Easter fortnight 2016 saw a peak in sales leading to the GTN Bestsellers Index of All Item Sales being up 8% on last year as a warm sunny spell allowed people to make the most of the first school holiday week...

Two garden centres in London and Bucks to close

Two garden centres in London and Buckinghamshire are to close this year...

Consumers slow to trust in contactless payment

Contactless card payments are not yet trusted by the majority of consumers, according to an online survey by business intelligence research consultancy Future Thinking...

French DIY and gardening startup ManoMano sets its sights on UK

ManoMano, Europe’s booming online marketplace for DIY and gardening equipment, is looking to take on the likes of B&Q, Homebase and other UK market leaders following a 13m EUR (£10.4m) investment.

Which? names T&M's incredicompost as best for seeds and young plants

Which? Gardening has named Thompson & Morgan’s peat-based 'incredicompost' as best overall compost for sowing seeds and raising young plants...

Warwickshire plant pot company wins overseas business

Colourful plant pots created by a Warwickshire firm will be adorning gardens in Africa and continental Europe this summer after its unique designs were snapped up by overseas garden and homeware companies.

GIMA 'seed corn' award helps winner to first-year bonanza

GIMA’s Innovators Seed Corn Fund (GISCF), set up in 2014 to encourage new businesses, designers and innovators to enter the garden retail market, has helped its 2015 winner to unexpected first-year success...

All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering

Garden centres without cafés can join coffee morning

Garden centres without cafés are being given the chance to participate in this year’s Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning thanks to tea and coffee equipment and product supplier Café Works. Any retailers looking to host an event for the charity on September 30 can borrow equipment from the Shropshire-based provider of single serve coffee options, tea and coffee equipment and vending solutions...

Francesco Mazzei & Robert Ortiz join Natural Food Kitchen chef line-up

Francesco Mazzei, chef patron at Sartoria in London’s Mayfair, and Robert Ortiz, the Michelin-starred head chef at Lima restaurant in London, will be bringing the vibrant colours and natural flavours of Italy and Peru to this year’s Natural Food Kitchen demonstrations at Natural & Organic Products Europe...

Top centres join David Domoney's ambassador scheme

More than 150 garden centres, including some of UK’s leading destination sites, have now joined the Cultivation Street ambassador scheme.

Deco-Pak to separate aggregates and birdcare at Glee

Deco-Pak is to separate its aggregates and wild birdcare ranges on adjacent stands at Glee this year...

Johnsons Lawn Seed to reach retail fever pitch

With the UEFA European Championship 2016 just around the corner, Johnson Lawn Seed has launched its exclusive ‘2016’ lawn seed mix, specifically designed to help create the perfect pitch for future Rooneys, Messis, or Ronaldos, and at the same time help boost summer sales for retailers...

Westland to sponsor Balmoral Show in Northern Ireland

Westland Horticulture will be sponsoring The Garden Village at Northern Ireland’s largest agricultural event, The Balmoral Show...

Inside GTN April 2016

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Wyevale Garden Centres appoint new finance chief

Wyevale Garden Centres this week announced the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer...

Encouraging signs as garden product sales rise

Sales of garden products have risen dramatically in the GTN Bestsellers Top 50, with volumes 27.2% higher than the previous week, and up on the same period for the past two years (+10.1% 2015 and +4% 2014)...

TV advertising pushes Miracle-Gro Growables into Bestsellers chart

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Growables product is proving to be a big hit with gardeners following extensive TV advertising. Three varieties – Sweet Pepper, Cucumber and Salad Tomato – are all new entries in the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart.

HTA National Plant Show - almost sold out

With just 12 weeks until the 7th National Plant Show this year’s event is set to be the best yet and is almost sold out...

Growing media sales still ahead of the game

Growing media sales are up on both 2015 (+33.7%) and 2014 (+36.6%) levels, and 22.8% higher than the previous week as gardeners start to get busy outside...

Centurion appoints new Head of Field Sales

Centurion Europe, the leading supplier of hardware, DIY and gardening products, has further expanded its sales management team with the appointment of Daniel McKane as Head of Field Sales...

High-tech BBQ boost for Premier Decorations

Barbecue cooking is all the rage in the UK and whilst simple kettle and drum style appliances remain hugely popular, all singing and dancing, high tech multi-function models are increasing in demand...

Brentwood planners to consider new garden centre proposal

A new garden centre could be built on green belt land at Hutton near Brentwood, creating 20 jobs, according to the Brentwood Gazette...

Christine Walkden joins Baby Bio Outdoor on roadshow

Christine Walkden and Baby Bio Outdoor are taking to the road, visiting Wyevale Garden Centres across the country to help gardeners grow bigger, better blooms.

Blood pressure check with that, sir?

Squire’s Garden Centre in Twickenham is supporting Stroke Awareness Day this month by offering free blood pressure checks. ..

Wyeville Garden Centre theft hearing adjourned

Court hearings involving two district councilllors accused of theft from Wyeville Garden Centres has been adjourned by Margate Magistrates Court due to the ill health of the defendants...

Highgrove Festival gets helping hand from nurseries

Wyevale Nurseries has this month loaned a range of topical herbaceous perennials, shrubs and ferns to the Highgrove Garden Festival...

Inside the April issue of GTN

The April issue of Garden Trade News is packed full of advice and information for garden retailing professionals...

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