GTN Xtra - GTN Xtra - Issue 64 2014

Scotts Miracle-Gro UK MD Martin Breddy said this week the company had made a long-term commitment to its newly-acquired Solus brands and urged retailers to ”give us a little time”...

Barton Grange plan £6m leisure development at Brock

Barton Grange plan to build a £6m leisure development on their Brock garden centre site near Preston, with a curling rink, ten-pin bowling,cinema and high-quality dining facilities...

Kingfisher continues to shine with their unique “World Icons”

One of the UK’s leading importers and distributors of value for money goods, Kingfisher (Bonnington Plastics Ltd) are leading the way in the garden, leisure and homeware industries, and garden lighting forms an important sector of their core ranges...

October sales volume down but still tracking above average

October sales volumes, as reported by the GTN Bestsellers All Items Epos data, were 7.7% down on October 2013, but still 1.5% up on the average for October over the previous five years...

Solex dates for 2015 change to reflect visitor response

LOFA surveyed a representative sample of visitors to SOLEX 2014 and, as a result, have decided that the 2015 exhibition will change to become a true mid-week show, running from Tuesday 7^th July to Thursday 9^th July.

Ghostly garden product sales for Halloween week

There were many ghostly happenings at garden centres last week for Halloween. And, according to GTN Bestsellers data, sales of related garden lighting and decorative lines reflected higher than usual activity with half-term also kicking the sale of winter garden ornaments into action too...

Town & Country offer premium gifts for gardeners...just in time for Christmas

The introduction of the new Glove and Secateurs Sets from Town & Country brings together its luxuriously soft, premium leather and suede gloves with a pair of quality, comfort grip secateurs to provide retailers with a winning combination and a guaranteed all-year-round seller with high gift purchase potential.

Stewarts celebrate over 870 years in service!

Award-winning Stewarts have presented long service awards to 51 staff members who collectively have worked with the company for over 870 years in total...

HTA business mentoring scheme promises 'real world' approach

HTA members are being offered a new business mentoring scheme titled ‘Making it Happen’, championed by former garden centre operator Steve Myatt (left)...

After 20 years, Bents find use for giant compost heap...

Bents at Glazebury, Cheshire, have converted a giant compost heap of plant and green waste collected over the past 20 years into growing media for use on their nurseries and local allotments...

The annual Kingfisher Pre-season BIG giveaway has begun!

The annual Kingfisher Pre-season BIG giveaway has begun! If you have never purchased Kingfisher products before, now is the time to order.

Grow your profits with a complete range of products, covering everything you need in store. New customers will receive 25% off catalogue prices, plus FREE delivery for orders placed over £500.00+VAT...

Download catalogue and order form here

Retailers will be first to benefit from new era of collaboration

The HTA are doing great work at the moment bringing the previously disparate parts of our industry together, writes GTN’s managing director, Trevor Pfeiffer. And the results of all the collaborative work were on display at last month’s HTA Garden Futures Conference...

If catering and food are your growth areas our new Food Xtra will help you

To see our NEW GTN Food Xtra e-mail newsletter...

The Quest for Christmas Greatness

The quest for The Greatest Christmas teams is on. The expert team of judges are now out and about visiting all of the teams nominated in this years The Greatest Christmas Awards. You’ll find out who are The Greatest at Christmas this year by joining us at the first awards event of 2015, The Greatest Christmas Awards Christmas Party...

The sponsors for The Greatest Christmas Awards are:

Book your tickets here at Early Bird discount prices

Notcutts scoop Retail Interiors Award

Notcutts have won the Best Large Format Store of the Year Award at the Retail Week Interiors Awards 2014...

GTN November 2014

Garden Trade News

Speaking Santa Straws...you heard about them here first

Whatever next? This week sees the debut of Speaking Santa Drinking Straws in the GTN Bestsellers Christmas Chart. The Straws from Premier Decorations are proving a big hit, and sold in higher volume than the Cottage Delight Christmas Cheer Beer Pack, one of last week’s new entries...

Missing from your Garden Trade News?

Did you see the Order Form for the Kingfisher Pre-Season Outdoor Spectacular in your copy of Garden Trade News?

HTA plan to move Futures conference out of London

The Horticultural Trades Association is planning to move its Garden Futures conference out of London for the first time...

Defra minister recalls 'memorable summer' at Bransford Nurseries

Defra minister George Eustice will undoubtedly have scored Brownie points at a Commons reception this week for revealing that he once budded roses at Bransford Nurseries...

Good weather equals record sales for growing media

Another week goes by with exceptionally high sales levels for growing media at this time of the year. When the weather is right, the nation continues gardening for as long as it can. The final week of October had the highest sales of the past six years, up 17% on the previous high in 2009.

Back Garden Re-Leaf Day says Downton Abbey star

‘Downton Abbey’ star Jim Carter this week urged the gardening industry to get behind next March’s Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day...

Homebase director to share realignment 'secrets'

Homebase commercial director Paul Emslie will share information about the company’s realignment programme at this month's BHETA member forum...

GPs should prescribe gardening says Queen's former doctor
Gardens are a free gym outside our winodws

A top physician says more GPs should prescribe gardening as a complementary treatment...

15% sales surge in warm September

The weather-driven footfall surge in September pushed garden centre sales up 15 per cent compared to last year, say the HTA...

£25m Sinclair plant ushers in new hi-tech era

The opening of William Sinclair Horticulture's new £25 million 50-acre growing media supersite in Ellesmere Port signals a new high tech era in one of Britain's most traditional industries...

Bosmere grows management team

Following the success of their new product launches at Glee, Bosmere have further strengthened their management team through the promotion of Glynn Davis to the position of National Sales Manager. Glynn, who has a wealth of experience in the garden market, joined Bosmere in 2012. He is a former President of the Garden Industry Manufacturers Association...

Primrose recognised via inclusion in Google Certified Shops programme

Online retailer Primrose has been selected to join the Google Certified Shops programme, awarded to ecommerce sites that demonstrate a track record of on-time shipping and excellent customer service...

November spotlight turns to trees

The Tree Council’s National Tree Week gives garden centres and nurseries an opportunity to turn the spotlight on to an often neglected plant category...

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