Sad news has reached the GTN Xtra office of the death of Alistair Lorimer last week after a long battle with cancer.
Alistair was involved in the UK garden centre and plants industry for over 30 years, learning his core retail skills within the innovative Jardinerie group.
He gained a certificate in Strategic Management whilst at Malcolm Scott Consultants and worked closely with garden retail clients throughout the UK, Ireland, USA, Middle East and northern Europe.
He became the Buying and Marketing Director for the Blooms of Bressingham Group where he was closely involved in the development of Bicester Avenue, the first UK garden centre ever to achieve the Retail Week Retail Design of the Year Award and Retail Destination of the Year Award.
Blooms was sold to the Wyevale group in March 2007 after being built up to 10 centres with annual sales of £30m and a staff of over 400.
Most recently Alistair had been providing consultancy services for both retail and plant breeder clients worldwide.
No news is available about funeral arrangments at present. We will publish those when they become available.
Our thoughts on behalf of the industry go to his family and friends.
If you'd like to add a personal comment about Alistair, please use the comments link below or send to trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk
From Boyd Douglas-Davies, CEO Hillview Garden Centres: "Really sad to learn of Alistairs passing. I've known him for many years and have great respect for everything he achieved in the industry. He's wisdom and encouragement will be sorely missed. I owe him a lunch and now I'll forever be in his debt, for many reasons."
From Carol Marks, Development / Marketing Specialist, Horticulture, Bord Bia, Dublin: "I am so very sad to hear of Alistair's passing. I had the pleasure of working closely with him over more than ten years, as he carried out the assessments for the Bord Bia Garden Centre Quality Awards, and through the many workshops and seminars he presented to the Irish horticulture industry for me."
"His philosophy of always providing commercial, profit focussed and practical support to garden retailers was always delivered with enthusiasm, humour, honesty and integrity, and he was highly respected and liked by all those whose path he crossed. While he was unable to travel over the last two years, I had kept in touch by phone and email to check in. He was always so pragmatic and so positive."
"A true gentleman, a huge loss, He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts, on behalf of the gardening industry in Ireland, go to his family and friends."
david henshaw trowell garden centre what a loss what man was a privilege to have known him thought are with his family
Paul Pleydell - Pleydell Smithyman
So sad to hear that we have all lost a truly great man who showed such amazing courage during his long illness and always exuded such an amazing positivity and unconditional friendliness. Every time we met I always walked away feeling better for having spent time with him.
We worked together as consultants in Worcester and he was truly inspiring to be with and a highly respected, trusted and effective mentor to businesses and colleagues.
Taken far too early, our thoughts are with his family and everyone who was privileged to know him.
Eve Tigwell
Such a sad loss for Alistair's family, friends and the industry. Such an enthusiastic and positive person, who was a joy to know and work with over so many years. My thoughts are with those who grieve.
Paul Bevington
From Paul Bevington, Kettler GB Limited: Alistair was a real pleasure to do business with. Always a true professional, but also great fun. I had reason to catch-up with Alistair again last year and he was as bright and positive as ever. A big loss to our industry. My thoughts are with his family.
Andy Campbell
I only got to know Alistair a few years ago when we worked together on an assignment. He was a true gentleman and one of the most positive people I know. The garden centre world is a reduced place without him in it.
Jill Foster
So very sorry to hear the sad news of Alistair's death. A truly lovely man who never forgot a face. I worked with him when in his early days he worked at Hurran's Garden Centre, and again at Blooms. My fondest memory of him is when an old lady who was shopping, said how wonderful the music was that was coming over the system and made you feel like dancing, he took the lady by the hand and did a slow dance with her around the shop, it made her day. RIP Alistair. Jill Foster
David Arnold
I knew Alistair for around 30 years both in my capacity as sales Director at Suttons Seeds and over the past 3 years as a working colleague with him on Blooms of Bressingham Plants and latterly, Must Have Perennials. He was fun and brilliant to work with. He was a font of Industry knowledge, he was innovative and insightful and remained so, so positive throughout his long battle with his illness. I'll miss him and my thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Alison, his two boys and their whole family.
Neil Grant
That's so sad. Alistair was always a cheery face & a great person to engage with. Our condolences to Alistair's family & friends.
Neil Grant
Ferndale GC
Sad news has reached the GTN Xtra office of the death of Alistair Lorimer last week after a long battle with cancer.
We worked together as consultants in Worcester and he was truly inspiring to be with and a highly respected, trusted and effective mentor to businesses and colleagues.
Taken far too early, our thoughts are with his family and everyone who was privileged to know him.
A truly lovely man who never forgot a face.
I worked with him when in his early days he worked at Hurran's Garden Centre, and again at Blooms.
My fondest memory of him is when an old lady who was shopping, said how wonderful the music was that was coming over the system and made you feel like dancing, he took the lady by the hand and did a slow dance with her around the shop, it made her day.
RIP Alistair.
Jill Foster
Neil Grant
Ferndale GC
Maxine Chambers