Almost 18 months on from the start of the Wyevale Garden Centres "Sale of the Century", Sprowston Garden Centre in Norwich, which was the last to trade under the Wyevale Garden Centres banner, has now transferred to the ownership of British Garden Centres.

Anthony Jones, Wyevale Garden Centres COO, led the Wyevale team at the centre as they prepared for the final garden centre transfer along with Charles Stubbs, Managing Director of British Garden Centres with his signage, IT and operations team.

As Charles Stubbs took control of his 49th garden centre he told GTN Xtra: "It feels fantastic, I'm very proud and very excited."  Anthony Jones, who leaves Wyevale Garden Centres at the end of this month said: "It’s sad now this is the last centre to transfer, but I’m proud that we got so many positive outcomes along the way. 95% of the centres are still in the industry and 97% of our colleagues have kept their jobs."

All of the centre staff, led by manager Paul Marlow, are transferring to British Garden Centres and they are now busy unpacking new stock and creating their Christmas displays.

See GTN Xtra's photos of Sprowston, the last Wyevale Garden Centre, and the start of the transformation to British Garden Centres below.

Out of 145 garden centres put up for sale by Wyevale Garden Centres owners Terra Firma at the end of May 2018, 131 have been sold as trading garden centres.  Sprowston is one of 37 bought by British Garden Centres.  Dobbies also bought 37 of the Wyevale sites and Blue Diamond purchased 16 centres including the very first Wyevale Garden Centre in Hereford where Henry Williamson started the business in 1932.  A total of 31 different purchasers acquired trading garden centres as part of the process which was made up of 57 seperate transactions including those sites sold for development.

Wyevale Garden Centres:  1932-2019.

Search the GTN Xtra Archive via this link to see all of GTN Xtra' coverage of "The Sale of the Century."

With a newly refurbished showroom and a fresh 2020 product range, there's a feeling of new beginnings for rattan and cane furniture experts Daro.

The business opened its doors this autumn for their annual Preview Show. Now in its 6th year, the Show aims to take the stress out of planning successful product ranges by inviting retailers to view a broad selection, in one sitting. Visitors to the show benefitted from an exclusive sneak preview of the 2020 indoor and outdoor collections and specialist support on creating a best-selling range.

James Brown, Director, said: "The Preview Show is an opportunity for customers to spend focussed time on planning their product ranges for the next year. Most buyers and business owners are bogged down in daily tasks, making it difficult to make crucial decisions and plan the coming year's collections.

"Customers tell us that time away from the office and experiencing how products look and feel first-hand is the best way to plan a successful product offering."

It's not too late to order your indoor and outdoor furniture displays for next year. If you could benefit from a relaxed setting and friendly advice, please get in touch.

The Daro team will be exhibiting at the January Furniture Show from Sunday 19th January until Wednesday 22nd January 2020 at the NEC. You can find the team in Hall 5, stand number B543.

If you'd like to know more about the 2020 collections or to become a stockist please contact Daro on +44 (0) 1604 758 989 or email sales@daro-cane.co.uk

If you've ever wondered how some garden centres manage to get coverage of their spring and summer ranges into the national press and glossy magazines during the period they are on sale the reason is that they hold press launches in London six months prior to the actual season.

That's why Dobbies held their second Spring Summer preview last week in Marylebone, London.  On a drab, damp November day, journalists were treated to a warming summer display of the Dobbies outdoor themes for 2020: Rustic Farmhouse, Urban Coastal, Moroccan Mood and Colour Pop.

Throughout the themes was the underlying trend of the Fifth Room: Houseplants featured large in each of the room sets to illustrate the perfect solutions to blending exterior and interior spaces.

See GTN Xtra's photo gallery from the preview below and read more in the next issue of Garden Trade News.

A Class Act!....well that was the response to its new packaging worn by model Alice, at this year's GLEE trade show, but is only one of many reasons why Durston Garden Products, continues to celebrate its ongoing success and longevity.

The aim of the futuristic outfit was to demonstrate to retailers two things. One, that in addition to having a 150 year history, Durstons is a modern forward-thinking company which is very much in-vogue, and that’s why it was shortlisted at this years GIMA Awards for its new packaging. Secondly, and a subject very close to Durston’s heart, is their approach to the environment which has earned them a reputation within the trade for being one of the first manufacturers to lead the way in promoting 100% recyclable bags.

Durstons is so much more than a compost supplier it is a business with a conscience, and one which works fluidly with its customers to ensure it meets their everyday needs; whilst at the same time safe-guarding its reputation and customer service along the way;  a business which attributes its success to a variety of factors.

“For example, the sheer fact that we are based here in the UK," says company spokesman Dan Durston, “means we have a distinct advantage over many of our competitors.

"With Brexit still looming large, and continuing to offer nothing but uncertainty, we are finding more and more compost stockists switching to the Durstons brand simply because they are being let down by their current suppliers.

"Companies, which often engage in long, complicated supply-chain deliveries from overseas; and which often results in them not always reaching there delivery destination on time. In contrast, Durstons’ offer a unique delivery package which means that wherever our customers are in the UK, Durstons can, and will deliver its products within 5 days from receipt of order, yes you heard that right.

"Just 5 days from receipt of order. This is seen as a huge advantage to garden centres.  And, if you add to this the changing weather patterns we are all now having to deal with, and the shift in seasons too,  it means products which have traditionally only been required in the summer months are now almost being requested all-year-round.

"Equally, Durstons has the ability to offer mixed-pallet loads which means retailers no longer have to stock-pile pallets and pallets of the same composts, but instead can have a much more varied choice and in much smaller quantities.”

So, as another year draws to a close, Durstons look back once again with a sense of pride at its achievements, and in particular it reflects specifically to an incident at GLEE when asking one of its visitors to sum-up their Durston experience in one word, to which the response was: “Ok, maybe not one word, not even two words, but three:  ‘A Class Act’.”

Garden centres appear to be the ideal place to get away from all that Election and Brexit “stuff” and a refuge away from the very wet weather.

In the spring wet weeks and weekends cause a severe dip in sales, but last week was the second week in succession that total volme garden centre sales have been up by 13% on the same week last year.  And that is despite all that rain!

At this rate, as the election gets nearer and more customers look to garden centres for escape and a warm winter treat we could be looking at a bumper November for all sales and especially Christmas.

GTN’s Christmas Top 50 index is now running at 12.5% up year on year and the increase in footfall to visit wonderful Christmas displays is also driving increases in Garden products, Growing media, gifts and food.  We’ve also nioticed a significant increase in the sales of Toys & Games this Christmas season. 

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 45

• Garden Products Top 50 – up 70%
• Growing Media Top 50 – up 33%
• Wild Bird Care Top 50 – static 0%
• Christmas Top 50 – up 20%
• All Plants index – static 0%
• All Items index - up 13%

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Leading outdoor living provider, Kettler has opened the doors to its brand new £2 million state-of-the-art facility in Redditch, reflecting the company’s market leading presence and demonstrating its long-term vision for sustained growth. 

The extra high facility, which is centrally located adjacent to its current warehouse, will treble the company’s current onsite capacity. The new facility has 120 tonnes of steelwork and three miles of racking that will accommodate 5,500 pallets, which will significantly improve its stockholding and efficiency. The brand new distribution centre is also primely positioned for Kettler’s national network of retailers.

Kettler Managing Director, Paul Bevington, said: “We are delighted to launch this state-of-the-art facility and mark another major milestone in Kettler’s journey. The new distribution centre means that we can now store all our stock and operate from one single location, which will ensure we can continue to promptly and efficiently respond to customer demand and to prepare for more innovation in an ever-changing marketplace as we look ahead to 2020.”

For more information on Kettler visit: https://www.kettler.co.uk/

Pictured: Paul Bevington, Managing Director & John Newburn, Operations Manager at Kettler.

Despite the gloomy, very wet, weather of last week Christmas sales continued at a pace faster than all but one of the past six years.

To date, the volume of the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Christmas Products is up 12.5% on last year.  Personalised Christmas items last week were 26% up in volume compared to the same week last year.

• History & Heraldry Personalised Gingerbread Hanging Decoration continues to be the No 1 Bestselling Christmas volume line, at the top of the GTN Chart for the eighth consecutive week.
• Lindt Teddy Bear, 10g, moves up 6 places to No 3.
• Fountasia Santa & Snowman Table Decorations are the highest new Christmas entry, coming in at No 7.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Time is running out to book your place at this year’s Cultivating Retail event, taking place on Tuesday 19 November 2019 at East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham.

Shoppers, government, media and employees are demanding more from businesses on sustainability. No business, in horticulture especially, can afford to be caught behind the curve. This conference sets out the threats and opportunities the industry will face in the coming years and aims to provide answers and examples you can apply to your business. For senior leaders and managers aiming to increase the financial and environmental performance of their businesses, it is a must-attend event.

Hosted by broadcaster Daisy McAndrew speakers include Sir Terry Leahy, former Tesco’s CEO, Graham Corfield, Chief Operating Officer at Just Eat, Dr David Bek, from Coventry University, and Olympic legend Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards as our after-dinner speaker. The programme also includes sessions from Guy Topping, Barton Grange Group and David Denny, HTA Futures and Sustainability Manager.

Hot seat sessions in the afternoon of the conference will cover topics such as biosecurity, growing media and peat, plastics, chemicals, labour, water and energy. Speakers for these sessions include Alistair Yeomans, Steve Harper, James Mallick, Stuart Foster, Adam Speed, Kevin Barefoot and Ben Wilby.

Boyd Douglas-Davies, HTA President and CEO of Hillview Garden Centres, said of the event, “This year’s conference focuses on the sustainability of the industry in the widest sense. By bringing together the supply chain this event gives us a fantastic opportunity to look at what we need to be doing now to ensure that we have a robust, viable and relevant industry fit for the future. You really can’t afford to miss this one!”

A milestone event in the horticulture calendar Cultivating Retail provides a unique opportunity to network with industry leaders and peers.

Visit www.hta.org.uk/cultivatingretail for further programme information and to book your place.

Tong Garden Centre has been selected by an established American brand to partner with them as they set out to grow their market share in the UK.

Tong is one of only five centres nationwide, and the only one in the north of England, chosen by US company Enviroscent to be a promotional partner for its Christmas scented ornaments, ScentSicles.

Of the partnership, Tong's Commercial Director, Sharon McNair said: "ScentSicles are a unique way to spread the scent of freshly cut Christmas trees throughout your home. They're a best-selling Christmas line in America and we're looking forward to seeing similar success here in the UK. Designed predominately to add scent to artificial trees and garlands, ScentSicles are made from natural fibres that are infused with pure fragrance oil. As well as smelling amazing, they are also biodegradable, organic and recyclable, so they're good for the environment too.

"We're very proud to be the only garden centre in the north to work in partnership with Enviroscent and to add this innovative product to our inspirational Christmas range."

As the chosen partner in the North of England, Tong Garden Centre have an exclusive free prize draw to win a luxury weekend break with Forest Holidays.

ScentSicles are available in a choice of six fragrances that typically last for 30 days and cost £6.99 for a pack of six. In addition to its bestseller White Winter Fir, Tong Garden Centre will stock the new fragrance for 2019, Pear in a Pine Tree.

Photo: Janice Astbury and Edwina Whitwam showcase ScentSicles.

Award-winning Supa Ltd has launched two new carriers ideal for transporting pets in an easy and stress-free way.

The Pet Carriers come in two sizes – Medium and Large – to cater for different sizes of animals, and are constructed out of cardboard, making them both lightweight and sturdy.

A built-in carry handle is incorporated into the design to provide a comfortable and secure way of carrying pets. They are also designed to provide occupants with plenty of ventilation.

Both sizes of carriers come flat-packed to save space and can be stored flat when not in use, plus they’re easy to assemble without the need for tools. There is also a space provided for the pet’s name and the owner’s contact details.

The internal dimensions for the Medium Pet Carrier are 20cm (H) x 20cm (D) x 33cm (W) compared to the Large Pet Carrier of 25.5cm (H) x 25cm (D) x 38.1cm (W). RRP are £2.75 (Medium) and £3.49 (Large).

Chris Goodlad, Managing Director of Supa Ltd, said: “We believe these new pet carriers are a great addition to the market, and would soon become popular in retail outlets.”

Supa Ltd is renowned for producing innovative products, having picked up New Product Awards at PATS trade shows in recent years.

As well as being one of the best-known names in fish keeping circles, the company’s portfolio also includes an extensive range of wild bird feeders, treats and accessories and a fast expanding range of small animal and cage bird products.

Supa has developed from humble beginnings in 1949 to a multi-million pound turnover business by a simple philosophy of listening carefully to its customers, developing products with flair and innovation and providing quality products that always offer real value for money. 

The company is proud of the fact that the majority of the products it produces are manufactured at its extensive factory in Sheffield from the finest quality raw materials. This fact has enabled Supa to rigorously maintain the highest standards of quality.

For more information visit www.supa-aquatics.co.uk or email sales@supa-aquatics.co.uk

To commemorate Remembrance Day, Squire’s Garden Centre in Long Ditton held a special Afternoon Tea for some of the residents of Royal Star & Garter. The residents were given delicious sandwiches, scones, cakes and tea in Squire’s Cafe Bar.

Royal Star & Garter provides loving and compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia. Squire’s in Long Ditton support the charity by putting on events, and raising awareness and money for them.

Their next fundraiser for the charity is Santa’s Grotto, where £1 from every ticket will be donated to Royal Star & Garter. Santa’s Grotto at Squire’s is open every weekend from 23^rd November, plus 23^rd and 24^th December, and tickets cost £6 per child, which includes a beautiful wrapped gift. There’s no need to book, simply turn up on the day.

Langlands Pudsey experience for Children in Need culminated with a live BBC TV appearance for Managing Director James Ducker on Friday night.

To date Langlands have raised over £3574 for Children in Need 2019 with more to be added over the weekend.

Langlands activities with Pudsey included making Pudseys Dream ice cream in conjunction with local company Burgess Ice Creams, cold baths, cycling and they even took Pudsey Bear to Smart Garden Products in Peterborough on Thursday where they raised more money from the garden products supplier.

See our gallery of photos below

The team at Mr Fothergill’s Seeds have donned their finest ties to help raise money for BBC Children in Need - an idea which came about as Tim Jeffries, Mr Fothergill’s Commercial Director is the last and only person to ever wear a tie in the office!

And this year their colleagues in Australia have done exactly the same. Tim again donated £1 for each person wearing a tie with the company’s joint Managing Directors John Fothergill and David Carey matching his donation. 

Ties for Tim’ is part of a week of fund-raising activity at the Mr Fothergill’s offices in Newmarket, with staff also taking on the challenge to ‘Be the Masterchef’, the Children in Need annual duck race and coming dressed up in their Pudsey inspired yellow or spotty outfits, with all proceeds going to BBC Children in Need. 

The money raised during the week will be added to sales of Mr Fothergill’s Sunflower Pudsey and Pumpkin Pudsey seed packets, with 30p from each going directly to BBC Children in Need. To date this donation has reached over £24,000. 

Tim commented “It’s fantastic that everyone at Mr Fothergill’s gets behind such an important cause, having fun in the process. If only everyone came to work looking as smart as they did on Monday! But it’s just as important that our retail customers and their customers are engaged and we have seen that, through sales of our Sunflower Pudsey and Pumpkin Pudsey seed packets.”

Sunflower Pudsey and Pumpkin Pudsey have an RRP of £1.99 and are available from selected garden retailers, online at www.mr-fothergills.co.uk and in Homebase stores.

Students of commercial horticulture can get £1,000 of funding through the British Protected Ornamentals Association – Peter Seabrook Bursary. 

The scholarship, which is part of the David Colegrave Foundation Scholarship Season, supports Peter Seabrook in his effort to encourage new entrants to the horticulture industry.  

Last season, the £1,000 award was won by James Pike who works as a grower at Hortico Plant Centre in Pinkney, Sherson.  

James returned to college to complete an RHS Level 3 course in Horticulture at Wiltshire College & University Centre in Lackham. He was so pleased to have been chosen to receive the British Protected Ornamentals Association – Peter Seabrook Bursary, saying: “This award will enable me to progress further with my horticultural education.” 

Simon Davenport, Executive Officer of BPOA, encourages young entrants like James to widen their knowledge of and contact with the commercial plant production trade. “It is by increasing direct involvement with the trade that a young entrant such as James can enhance his employability and improve his career prospects,” said Simon. 

At a thousand pounds or more, a DCF scholarship can really boost learning potential. This year there are 7 scholarships to apply for: 

Ball Colegrave Sponsored Travel Scholarship  
Up to £1,500 to fund travel to Europe in order to develop knowledge and experience in bedding plant production and marketing. An employee in the early stages of their career at a commercial bedding plant nursery, or a student studying horticulture with an interest in commercial bedding plants should apply. 

British Protected Ornamentals Association - Peter Seabrook Bursary 
£1,000 to support one or more students studying commercial horticulture. The scholarship is also available to schools and horticultural colleges to finance trips for students over 16 years of age to leading commercial horticultural establishments. 

Horticultural Research Scholarship  
£2,500 to support applied research within the horticulture industry. Students who are keen to pursue a research career in the horticultural industry should apply. This includes undergraduates, postgraduates and those studying for doctoral degrees. 

John Gibson Environmental Scholarship  
£1,500 to support a student with a keen interest in environmental solutions and sustainable applications as applied to commercial horticulture.  

Majestic Trees Sponsored Travel Scholarship  
Up to £3,000 to fund a placement abroad at a tree nursery for a student who is passionate about tree production. This also includes the opportunity for a work placement at Majestic Trees, which could become a permanent position.  

Markham – Colegrave International Scholarship  
$4,500 USD for the opportunity to organise a work placement in a horticultural business in the US/Canada. The Scholarship is presented as a joint award from DCF and the American Floral Endowment (AFE), US. 

Student Scholarship  
£1,000 to each of up to 5 students to support their studies in horticulture. Preference is given to candidates who have an interest in ornamental commercial horticulture, especially with an emphasis on the bedding, container, pot plant and cut flower sectors. 

The David Colegrave Foundation Scholarship Season is open now until 31 January 2020. 

Applications are already coming in from the likes of The University of the Highlands and Islands – Argyll College UHI, The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise – Greenmount campus, Harper Adams University, Walworth School of Horticulture, Eden Project Learning, Nottingham Trent University, Myerscough College, Pershore College and Broomfield Derby College. 

More colleges are encouraged to get on board and get their horticulture students applying. 

To apply visit www.davidcolegravefoundation.org.uk 

Plant sales were just about on parity week on week with last year, not a bad performance considering the continual wet weather. 

Cyclamen sales for the week were up by 18%, growing their lead at the top of the chart with three times the sales volumes of Pansies at No 2.

• Poinsettias climbed 7 places to No 7.
• Potted Hyacinth’s moved up from No 44 to No 25.
• Celosias are providing splashes of winter colour, re-entering at No 26.
• All Plants volume sales change: Week on week DOWN 16.9%.  Year to date vs 2018 DOWN 6.6%, vs  2017 UP 0.7%.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Growing Media sales last week defied the weather to be the highest for that week we’ve ever seen in the GTN Bestsellers EPOS data analysis. 

Up by 33% on last year it just shows that gardeners are keen to get on with their winter growing and preparations for next spring.

• Westland New Horizon All Plant Compost 60 litres continued to increase sales week on week, sitting at No 4 in the GTN Chart.
• Kelkay RHS Horticultural Alpine Grit Large Pack doubled sales and moved up to No 13.
•  Pughs Cactus Gravel was the highest chart re-entry at No 28.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Harry Downes has this month started his two-year Management Trainee Scheme at Wyevale Nurseries.

Twenty-one-year-old Harry, who has just relocated from Leeds to Belmont in Hereford, will be working at Wyevale Nurseries on its in-house programme, which covers all areas of the business.

Andy Johnson, Director at Wyevale Nurseries, which celebrates its 90^th Anniversary in 2020, said: “I would like to welcome Harry to our team. We’re delighted he accepted our offer to join our Management Trainee Scheme. Harry had all of the attributes we were looking for, from a positive attitude to pure enthusiasm for nursery production and we’re delighted to welcome him to the programme.

“Harry has just graduated with a BSc (Hons) degree in Plant Science from Eden Project Learning – The Cornwall College Group. He will spend his first six months in Hereford split between our container production and our supply chain before spending his second six months split between our trees and transplants divisions. 

“Harry’s second year will include time with our sales and accounts teams as well as further placements at the production divisions.”

Assessment during the Management Trainee Scheme will be through regular reviews and assessing performance against agreed objectives. Harry will have a mentor to meet with on a regular basis. There will also be a Programme Co-ordinator to support him and to ensure that regular constructive reviews are undertaken.

Harry added: “I have, for as long as I can remember, had a passion for horticulture and through university developed a great interest for nursery work. The scheme will allow me to experience the different jobs required on a nursery and learn from a long established highly regarded company.”

Past Management Trainees at Wyevale Nurseries include Kyle Ross, who is now the Production Manager at the company and Chris King, who is now the Assistant Production Manager at its Transplants Division.

Ben Gregory, Product Research & Development Manager at Sprint Horticulture in Sydney, also started his career with Wyevale Nurseries as a Management Trainee and quickly progressed to establish himself as Wyevale Nurseries’ Product Development Manager before moving to Australia.

Andy added: “Upon successful completion of the programme, it is anticipated that we shall be able to match Harry to a suitable role with the company which would benefit from his particular strengths.

“We have had a great success rate with our Management Trainee Programme and past applicants are either still working for us and thriving like Chris and Kyle or are still involved in the industry within other companies like Ben.”

Christmas footfall certainly looks to be benefitting Garden Products sales more than ever this year.  Thirty-nine out of the GTN Bestsellers Top 50 Garden products saw sales increases week on week with the Top 50 total up by a dazzling 70% on last year for the same week.

Pots and pot related products are the big shift year on year.  Last year they made up 16% of the Top 50 Garden Product lines, this year they account for 34%, the major share of the chart.

• Woodlodge Spang Pot 4 inch was the highest re-entry at No 9.
• Woodlodge Pot Feet Large lifted up the chart 36 places to No 7.
• Fountasia Robin Pot Stick was the highest new entry of the week at No 12.  It would appear customers are looking for more than just plants to put in their pots!

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Christmas races ahead of last year, Bottle lights continue to be a No 1 Bestseller and Peat Free Growing Media continues to sell to serious gardeners like never before. These are the headlines from the GTN Bestsellers EPOS data analysis this week.

After the second autumn half term week, any regional half term variations are taken out of the equation and we can safely say that Christmas volume sales are up on last year by 10% so far this season.

In garden products, Bottle Lights from Creative Products continue to provide a welcome boost to sales volumes, selling 3 times the volume of the No 2 bestseller and outselling any single Christmas light line.

And in growing media two peat free products are now in the Top 10 of our growing media chart.  If the serious gardeners buying these lines get great results they will be back to buy more next spring and influence others to buy too.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 44

• Garden Products Top 50 – up 38%
• Growing Media Top 50 – up 7%
• Wild Bird Care Top 50 – down 18%
• Christmas Top 50 – up 29%
• All Plants index – up 4%
• All Items index - up 13%

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

What do you get when you cross a leading destination garden centre, a new leisure shopping centre, and a green roof on which sheep will one day graze?

The answer - The Flower bowl - a leisure destination that taps into consumer demand for eco-friendly, quality leisure shopping.

Guy Topping, Managing Director of the Barton Grange Group, will share with delegates what he's learned from turning the vision into a reality that's contributing to the environment, quality of life and the financial bottom line.

Guy will talk through the development from the birth of this new recreational concept to the challenges of delivery and lessons learnt.

Friends and supporters of Greenfingers Charity came together for another night of celebrations and vital fundraising at the charity’s annual FUNdraising dinner.

Hosted at the prestigious RAF Club in the heart of London’s Mayfair, the event saw 100 friends and supporters of Greenfingers dig deep to help raise more than £18,000 during the evening.

The evening was supported by the charity’s patrons, actors Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton (below, left and right), who led festivities that included a fiercely fought auction as well a touch of Downton Abbey.  Highclere Castle Gin, a Downton Abbey goody bag and a special Downton Abbey themed game of ‘heads or tails’ put guests’ knowledge of the award-winning film to the test.

During the evening, a number of Greenfingers supporters were awarded special trophies for their support:.  See photos in the GTN Xtra gallery below.

• PR Ambassador John Clowes who helped raise over £20,000 from his articles in The People’s Friend magazine.
• GIMA’s Vicky Nuttall, Kimberley Hornby of Hornby Whitefoot PR and Glee’s Matthew Mein (left to right above, holding their trophies), who earlier this year completed their 100th Garden Re-Leaf Day mile while raising thousands of pounds for the charity.
• Richard Pyrah, president of GIMA, whose support saw more than £20,000 raised by members through its  wing walkers, the annual GIMA Charity Day, the GIMA Awards and more.

The team at Kew Green Hotels were also celebrated, having completed endless challenges and events for Greenfingers, including the unstoppable Helen Barker who has now run more than 1,000 miles for the charity, 52 of them in the Sahara as part of a gruelling double marathon. The Kew Green team presented a cheque for an incredible £350,000 to the charity, representing money raised by hotel teams across the country since the charity partnership began in 2016.

During the evening, The Horticultural Golf Society also presented a cheque for £8,000, raised at their annual golf day. 

Greenfingers chairman John Ashley thanked the patrons, for helping to make the evening a joyous and memorable occasion, Vitax for sponsoring the Champagne reception and all who donated auction and raffle prizes.  “Our annual dinner isn’t just about raising money, but it is also an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the amazing work that our wonderful supporters undertake to help Greenfingers create stunning garden spaces at hospices throughout the UK…We cannot thank our friends enough for choosing Greenfingers as the horticultural industry’s favourite charity,” he said.

Linda Petrons, Greenfingers’ director of fundraising & communications, said: “We never get over the fact that so many individuals and brands take the time to support Greenfingers, whether by giving their time, digging deep into their pockets or taking on massive personal challenges. Every penny we receive is put to very good use, and I can assure you that the life-limited children who call a hospice ‘home’, as well as their families and friends, appreciate every precious moment these gardens help to create.

It was a case of “something borrowed, something green” for Deco-Pak’s Craig Hall at his recent wedding as he and his new wife, Debbie, raised over £1,200 for Greenfingers Charity thanks to generous donations from guests and families.

At the couple’s October wedding the traditional gifts and cards were replaced with donations to Greenfingers charity, with guests taking up the mantle enthusiastically to far exceed the original £500 fundraising target. 

As a long-term Greenfingers Ambassador, Craig, Marketing Director at decorative aggregate specialists Deco-Pak, has played a pivotal part in raising funds for the charity. From special product promotions, as well as participating in fundraising activities and events including Garden Re-Leaf Day, Craig has already helped to raise thousands of pounds for the charity.

Speaking about his decision to honour Greenfingers on their big day, Craig said; “Like many people we are lucky enough to already have all the bits and pieces that make a home, and therefore wanted to channel the generosity of our friends and families into a cause that we knew would benefit from the funds much more than we ever would do. We had a truly amazing wedding day, celebrating with our loved ones, and we can't say thank you enough to everyone that donated. It was massively appreciated, and it really added that special something to the day. Greenfingers is such a worthwhile cause and a charity our family business is passionate about, so it felt only natural to include it in such an occasion”

Such was the generosity of the wedding guests that the wedding made the top 5% of JustGiving fundraisers in October, out of a total of 47,000.  You can still donate and add your good wishes to Craig and Debbie by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/craiganddebbie

Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Greenfingers Charity thanked the Hall family for their support; “The charity would like to extend a special thanks to Craig and Debbie for including us as part of their wedding.  The money raised will make a real difference to life limited children in hospices and is only made possible by the support and generosity of so many of our industry friends.”

Linda added: “Greenfingers is frequently asked about how people can fundraise or donate, and the charity is always trying to come up with new and unique ways to offer people. We hope that others might be inspired by Craig and Debbie’s wonderful fundraising spirit and remember Greenfingers during times of celebration.”

Greenfingers fundraising ideas – give the gift of Christmas

With Christmas fast approaching, why not ask friends and families to donate to Greenfingers in lieu of cards and presents?  Or if your business wants to do its bit for the planet and not send physical Christmas cards, why not turn to Greenfingers? The charity can design a special e-card in-house in return for a small donation.

And don’t forget you can also donate to Greenfingers through Amazon Smile. The Amazon Smile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to Greenfingers.  You can do this by visiting https://smile.amazon.co.uk to register and then select Greenfingers Charity as your charitable organisation.

Find out more

To find out more about Greenfingers Charity, and how to get involved in a range of fundraising events please email Linda@greenfingerscharity.org.uk.

You can also join in the conversation by joining Greenfingers on social media - https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/, @GreenfingersCha on Twitter, and @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Growers are concerned that proposals around future foreign labour requirements will hinder the expansion of the ornamental horticulture sector.

HTA has responded to the call from the Migratory Advisory Committee (MAC) for evidence on Salary Threshold and Points-Based System Commission. The MAC proposed that a £30,000 salary threshold is maintained for full time workers coming to work in the UK from abroad. The adoption of an Australian style points-based system would see applicants scored on factors such as education levels and language skills.

HTA says £30,000 is too high and will prohibit many skilled and experienced workers from joining the UK horticultural workforce and has called for the MAC to review the Shortage Occupation List, as horticulture is not currently included as an exemption. Supervisory and technical roles are the hardest to fill in the area of plant production, so a wider approach is needed to get work experience and acquired knowledge recognised alongside any formal qualifications.

The recently published 2019 Ornamental Horticulture Skills Survey* says the sector is facing a critical skills challenge, with the difficulty of finding staff with the right skills and qualifications the most commonly reported issue.  It says the proposals in their current form are likely to exacerbate the situation further.

HTA is highlighting the industry’s desire to expand, particularly in the area of import substitution, but cites lack of access to labour is seen as a barrier requiring Government help.

Martin Emmett, chair of the HTA Ornamentals Committee said: “Labour shortages of both seasonal and full-time workers are a key concern for the horticulture industry, particularly at a time when there is a need and desire for expansion. Access to a skilled and experienced labour force is critical and this is why the proposed salary threshold needs to be lowered so that knowledgeable and skilled workers from abroad can continue to contribute to UK horticulture.”

He adds, “The ornamental horticulture sector makes a significant contribution to the UK economy with ornamental plants worth £1.35 billion produced and sold in the UK during 2017. Importantly, it also contributes to the environment, helping to mitigate the causes of climate change. The growth of the sector is dependent on having a sufficient workforce to allow for its expansion to enable these wider benefits to be fully realised.”

Garden lifestyle centre, Hillmount Ards, has been awarded 'Best Family Business' by Ards Chamber of Trade at the recent Ards Business Awards.

The third garden centre in the portfolio owned by the Mercer family, who have an almost 80 year history in gardening, opened its doors in late 2017, on the site of the former Thriving Life Church at an investment of £1,000,000 and with the creation of 25 new jobs.

Robin Mercer, Hillmount Ards, said: "We are immensely proud to have been awarded 'Best Family Business' by Ards Chamber of Trade. From I married my
wife Edith more than 40 years ago I promised her one day that we'd open a garden centre in her hometown so when the opportunity to buy the building and create Hillmount Ards came along there was really only one decision to be made.

"The building has such a beautiful perspective and Hillmount Ards has bloomed with an amazing team helping us. Being named Best Family Business is the perfect award for us as we are committed to investing in the local area and to providing employment to local people, as well as providing the community in Ards the same great value, great choice and welcoming service that our loyal customers enjoy at our sister garden centres in Bangor and Castlereagh."

The Mercer family breathed new life into the building to develop Hillmount Ards with a wide variety of plants, trees and shrubs, as well as offering a range of exquisite gifts, an extensive range of ladieswear, garden furniture and accessories. Diners in the first floor restaurant, The Gardener's Rest, can relax and enjoy views across north down from the unique feature window.

Hillmount Ards hosts a free to attend kids gardening club on the first Saturday of each month, the popular Ladies Shopping Night returns just before Christmas on Friday 13 December and Santa will be in residence at Hillmount Ards throughout December. There is no need to book to visit Santa and for more information on Grotto opening times and prices, visit: https://www.hillmount.co.uk/christmasatards

These are the 'Three Ps' of sustainability in business that Dr David Bek from Coventry University will discuss in conversation with Boyd Douglas-Davies.

He'll look at how balancing these 'Ps' can create a business model that provides value to all stakeholders in a modern enterprise. As one of the UK's leading researchers, David's got a huge insight into how horticulture across the world is responding to the sustainability challenge.

Members are able to attend dedicated sessions for growers, retailers and landscapers. Members can join a live webinar if they are unable to attend - which will allow them to ask questions. The webinars will also be available afterwards (free for members ad chargeable for non-members).
Plant Passport webinars for HTA Members

HTA members unable to attend one of the Plant Passport seminars which are taking place on Thursday this week in Oxfordshire, are invited to participate in the webinars covering the new plant passporting regulations which come in to force on the 14 December 2019. The webinars are uniquely tailored to specific sectors:

09.30 to 11.30 - Retailers, multiples and online sellers

12.00 to 14.00 - Landscapers, professional gardeners and garden designers

14.30 to 16.30 - Growers, plant traders and producers

The sessions will run for a maximum of 2 hours and will consist of a half hour presentation followed by a Q&A session.  To register your interest in a webinar, please email events@hta.org.uk to receive a link to participate in the online presentation. Non-members can request a link to the recording of these sessions at a cost of £50.

Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.

The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2017 as well as 2018 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Christmas Products chart for this week are here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers.  Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.

Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.

GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £120m.

Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.

For further information contact karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call 01733 775700.

Buy your subscription today and start receiving the GTN Bestsellers charts this week.

Three of the biggest names in casual dining: James Spragg and Steve Holmes, the CEOs of Casual Dining Group (CDG) and Azzurri Group respectively, and David Campbell, executive chairman at Bill's Restaurants – are on the Keynote menu at Casual Dining 2020.

The A-list speaker line-up for next year’s show (25-26 March, ExCeL London) also includes Amber Wood, MD of The Cosy Club at Loungers; Baton Berisha, MD of The Ivy Collection; Laura Harper Hinton, owner and creative director of Caravan Restaurants (and investor on the BBC’s My Million Pound Menu); Andrew and Prannee Laurillard, founders of Thai chain Giggling Squid; and Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality.   

Ex-wagamama boss David Campbell, who was appointed executive chairman at Bill's Restaurants last summer, says he’s looking forward to speaking at the Casual Dining show.  In his opening day Keynote interview, he’ll be focusing on the reimagining of Bill’s, where almost half of the estate has already been extensively refurbished, plus talking about the new openings that are now happening.

“We’re delighted to announce our first wave of speakers for Casual Dining 2020,” enthuses event manager Eva Ellis.  “While we can certainly promise plenty more big name announcements over the coming weeks, it doesn’t get much bigger than CDG, Azzurri Group, Bill’s, The Ivy Collection, and Loungers – who operate some of the UK’s most well-known casual dining restaurant brands – speaking exclusively at their industry show.

“This is a fantastic starting line-up to open our show registration and kick off the 2020 marketing campaign.  And, if that’s not irresistible enough, visitors also benefit from two action-packed days of product launches, demos and tastings from over 220 leading casual dining suppliers showcasing everything from ingredients to food and drink, from kitchen kit and front of house, to payment solutions and catering tech,” she says.  

Show features and highlights include 50+ speakers appearing in 25 free business seminars across two dedicated keynote theatres (both sponsored by Yumpingo), The Vineyard (new for 2020), The Taphouse (formerly the Craft Beer & Cider Zone), Artisan Spirits Lounge, and the Innovation Challenge Awards.

Exciting times for Casual Dining Group’s new CEO

Before becoming CEO of Casual Dining Group earlier this year, James Spragg was chief operating officer overseeing the Bella Italia, Café Rouge and Belgo restaurant portfolio.

When he last spoke at the show, he outlined CDG’s strategies for keeping its core brands fresh and relevant and made headlines with the launch of ‘virtual’ delivery brand Stack & Grill from Café Rouge’s kitchens.  This time around as CEO, his opening day keynote is expected to include an update on their delivery and digital strategy, plus insights into some of the ‘new initiatives and growth opportunities’[1] that CDG has planned for its 280+ restaurants (including the Las Iguanas and La Tasca brands).

Azzurri Group – Casual Dining Group of the year shares its success stories

Five years since he headlined Casual Dining’s second edition in 2015, Steve Holmes, CEO of the Azzurri Group (which won Casual Dining Group of the Year at the Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards in 2019), will be back to share his thoughts on the trends and issues shaping the casual dining industry.

Home to over 300 restaurants, including ASK Italian, Zizzi, Coco di Mama and Radio Alice pizzerias (plus, more recently, pod food), many of its brands have been high street favourites for decades. 

Under Mr Holmes’ leadership, the Azzurri Group’s continued focus on reviewing, refining and evolving its customer proposition helped deliver like-for-like growth in 2018 – despite (what he called) the ‘challenging environment faced by the UK casual dining market’[2].  It currently employs over 6,500 staff, serves over 21 million meals annually, and is set for further expansion.  He’ll be discussing all that and more in his highly-anticipated Keynote interview at the show.

220 exhibitors for 2020
2019 was a big year for Casual Dining in many ways.  Its first year at ExCeL (and sixth edition overall) saw attendance hit 5,038 and led to a record number of exhibitors rebooking onsite.  Fast forward nine months and it’s well on track to sell out of exhibition space ahead of the new March dates (25-26 March).

The ever-growing exhibitor list covers everything casual dining operators need to run their businesses successfully.  Among the returning exhibitors are AAK Foodservice, Ascentia FSE, Billington Foodservice, Britvic, Carlsberg UK, Coca-Cola European Partners, Diageo, Fentimans, Futura Foods UK, Givex, Harri, JJ Foodservice, Kobas, Lavazza, Lutosa, Major International, Molson Coors Brewing Company, Moving Mountains, Panasonic UK, Peka Kroef, Pizza Equipment, Tevalis, The Meatless Farm Co, and UCC Coffee.

Joining them are new names (to the show) like Cadbury, The Vegetarian Butcher, Kepak Convenience Foods, GCL Food Ingredients, Fourth, Canopies UK, Sodiaal, Design & Create Solutions, MIKADO Foods, Pathos Continental Foods, and Love Joes.

The initial exhibitor list will be available online next month.

Show registration now open

Over 5,000 attendees – from multi-site restaurants, pub and bar groups, to hotels, contract caterers and the nation’s best independents – will be out in force at Casual Dining next March.

The show’s prestigious visitor list annually includes the top buyers and brands from across the casual dining sector, including Admiral Taverns, Aramark, Azzurri Group, BaxterStorey, Benugo, Bill’s Restaurants, BrewDog, Carluccio's, Casual Dining Group, CH&Co Group, Charles Wells, Center Parcs, Côte Restaurants, Daniel Thwaites, Dishoom, Domino's Pizza Group, DoubleTree By Hilton, Ei Group, Elior UK, Flat Iron, Fuller's, Greene King, Hall & Woodhouse, Hard Rock Café, Harvester, ISS UK, Loungers, Marston’s, Mitchells & Butlers, Nando's, National Trust, NWTC, Oakman Inns, Papa John's, PizzaExpress, Pizza Hut Restaurants UK, Pizza Pilgrims, Prezzo, Punch Taverns, Revolution Bars Group, Shepherd Neame, Sodexo, SSP, Stonegate Pub Company, TGI Fridays, The Restaurant Group, wagamama, YO! Sushi, Young's, and more.

Summing up his show experience (as a speaker and visitor), Chris Hill, CEO of The New World Trading Company (NWTC), says: “Casual Dining at ExCeL is the premium sector show, bringing together fantastic debate, content and innovation.”

“Casual Dining 2019 provided a great opportunity to engage with innovative new suppliers, network with existing contacts and listen to some informative keynote speakers.  It’s a great event and one I look forward to returning to in 2020,” says Mark Carter, head of drinks category management at Marston’s Pubs & Bars.

“I thoroughly enjoyed Casual Dining at ExCeL this year – great show.  I’m sure 2020 will be even better!  See you there,” says Shamil Thakrar, co-founder of Dishoom.

Casual Dining returns to ExCeL London on 25-26 March 2020.  For further information, please visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk and use priority code CD10 (direct link: https://eventdata.uk/VISITOR/CasualDining2020.aspx?TrackingCode=CD10).