Pre-tax profits at Blue Diamond, the UK’s third biggest garden centre group, rose 26% from £6.6m to £8.5m in 2016.

The group says sales, which increased 10% (8% like-for-like) to £91m, could reach £100m for the current year. The group is aiming to double current turnover to £180m over the next five years.

The group’s portfolio grew from 17 to 19 outlets during the year, following the acquisitions of Harlow and Coton Orchard, with a 20^th due to be announced shortly and start trading towards the end of the year. MD Alan Roper says the new-build store will be targeting turnover of £10m. Two more potential new builds are in the pipeline.

The growth strategy will combine expansion of existing sites, acquisitions and new centres on green field sites. Roper says he expects a turnover growth rate of at least £10m a year to continue.

The group announced a final dividend of 18p, bringing the year total to 26.5, up 10.4% on 2015.

Group chairman Simon Burke (right) said the new trading year had started strongly. “We have not yet seen any significant impact on customer demand from the Brexit process or the resumption of retail price inflation,” he said.

Alan Roper added: “I believe that Blue Diamond’s consistent growth has come because we are successful in exploiting the opportunities of an increasingly broader non-gardening offer that the modern garden centre now conveys, whilst continuing to remain credible and authoritative in our core gardening offer. This is in contrast to the concession-led and relatively undifferentiated offer that is prevalent in most of the sector. Recent upheavals elsewhere in the industry are testament to the challenges of keeping pace with a changing market.”

• Garden Products - down 42%
• Veg-2-Gro - down 20%
• Growing Media - down 27%
• All Plants Index - down 35%
• All Items Index - down 25%

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

The Royal Horticultural Society has won a major award at the 2017 Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards, the prestigious annual awards that reward excellence in brand licensing management.

As winner in the Best Licensed Heritage or Institution Brand category, the RHS triumphed in a strong field; the seven other nominees included The British Museum, The Imperial War Museum, The National Gallery and the V&A.

The award is a major vote of confidence in the updated and expanded licensing programme that, since 2015, has associated the RHS brand and values with quality products from a wide range of carefully chosen partners.

The result has been the RHS name and associated imagery appearing on products from nearly 60 partners to date, offering items ranging from sweets to stationery and from dresses to calendars.

The area where RHS licensing and endorsement is strongest, however, remains gardening. For example you can now buy RHS-licensed or endorsed garden tools, storage, green and glasshouses, compost and mulches, horticultural grit, gravel, sand, pots and planters and gardening benches from major names such as Burgon & Ball, Trimetals, Kelkay, Melcourt, Apta, Sitting Spiritually, Kettler, Gabriel Ash and Hartley Botanic.

Gifting and homeware are also strong areas for the RHS brand, where the association with flowers and gardens has enormous appeal. Mugs, flasks, kitchen textiles, fine china and fragrances are just a few of the products licensed to a number of major names, which include Ulster Weavers, Churchill China, Bronnley, Moorcroft and Wax Lyrical, among many others.

The ‘reboot’ of the licensing programme has successfully introduced a number of exciting new design ideas, but possibly the most important of all was the use of images from one of the most amazing sources of illustration any brand could wish for: the RHS Lindley Library, a library of botanical artwork offering over 25,000 images, some dating back over 400 years. Many of these images are now being used on packaging, ceramics, garden tools and even dramatic floor-length gowns for women!

The success of the campaign and its recognition from the licensing industry hasn't changed one thing, however. A partner must understand the RHS and its values, and, above all, offer a quality product — even if that means submitting to extensive testing from RHS itself.

Cathy Snow, RHS Licensing Manager, says: “The aim of the RHS licensing campaign has always been to build on the respect and admiration the RHS name inspires to support high-quality products and to provide more income for its invaluable work. We are thrilled that the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards have acknowledged the success of our campaign.”

Garden centre groups Notcutts and Creative Gardens and online home and garden retailer Primrose have been named in a prestigious list of inspirational UK firms.

The London Stock Exchange Group lists more than 1000 companies in a report designed to recognise the efforts of “dynamic, entrepreneurial and ambitious businesses” that are boosting UK productivity, driving economic growth and creating jobs.

Family-run garden centre group Creative Gardens in Northern Ireland, which has branches in Donaghadee, Bushmills and Galgorm, has an annual turnover of £6.6m and is run by brothers Oliver and Philip Gass (pictured) and their sister, Jenny Dumigan. It was set up 30 years ago by their mother, Diana, when she started up on the Donaghadee site.

Two more centres followed in Bushmills, Co Antrim, and the grounds of Galgorm Castle near Ballymena, the latter a £2m investrment in 2014.

Notcutts is a long-standing family business operating 18 garden centres with a total turnover of more than £67 million. It is believed to be the biggest family business in the industry.

Reading-based Primrose, founded in 2003, is operated by Meika Ltd, also a family-run business. It prides itself on its across-the-board in-house approach.

The newly re-opened Aylings Garden Centre at Trotton near Petersfield – formerly Maple Ridge Garden Centre – has been fitted out by Red Cherry Shopfittings in a major re-vamp.

Maple Ridge closed last November after its previous owner, Eco Warrior Resorts, went into liquidation. The new owners, a group of six Italian friends and business partners, bought the business from the liquidators and re-instated the family name of Aylings in honour of Henry Ayling, who started the original business in 1934. It was subsequently run by his son George and other members of the family until they sold out it in 1999. Eco Warrior Resorts acquired it in 2015 with the aim of redeveloping it but ran into difficulties.

The centre, which the new owners say will be run as “a traditional garden centre” but also has a new tea room and restaurant, was officially re-opened by Priscilla Ayling, the founder’s grand-daughter.

In mid February this year, the new owners approached Red Cherry Shopfittings to refit it from scratch in time for a planned re-opening on 1 April. After input from all six partners, final plans were put together and the goods delivered. The till points and counters were manufactured on site and a team of fitters completed the installation on the 25 March, leaving the Aylings team a full week in which to do the merchandising.

The team at Red Cherry fitted Evolve50i shelving in a Jura white finish, with slatted maple back panels throughout to create an up-market look. All the wall bays have barge board trims to the headers and plinths.

Aylings Commercial director Michele Gaudelli said the six partners had all run successful businesses, including a garden nursery, craft businesses and farming.

For information about Red Cherry, contact Michael Bridgeman at Red Cherry on 01795 473485 or visit the website.

From 3 to 5 September, the Cologne fair grounds will once again be hallmarked by the garden industry. With more than 2,000 exhibitors expected from 59 countries, spoga+gafa 2017 is once again presenting the whole world of the garden. "spoga+gafa unites the entire diversity of garden products with the focus hardware.

"In the garden furniture, grill and outdoor decoration sections, it has the world's largest coherent offer and that is unique," said Katharina C. Hamma (above left), Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH. "With an over 80 percent share of foreign exhibitors, spoga+gafa is once again achieving a fantastic result and is thus underlining its position as the leading international garden fair," Hamma continued.

Furthermore, in 2017 spoga+gafa is setting new benchmarks as a trend platform: For the first time experiential worlds on the themes Smart Gardening, Battery and Outdoor Kitchens are being created. The latter will be staged in Hall 8. As a result of the additional allocation of this hall, spoga+gafa 2017 has expanded its overall exhibition surface up to 226,000 square metres.

The theme of plants is also being further reinforced by the "POS added value islands: The presentations visualise ideas for the concrete design of retails space for the two sales channels garden centres and DIY stores.

TAG DES GARTENS is also being held again in 2017: The garden exhibition for everyone is taking place in the Rheinpark on 2 and 3 September.

In 2017, spoga+gafa is being staged in Halls 1 to 10. There are four segments; garden living, garden creation & care, garden bbq as well as garden unique to cover the entire world of the garden. Garden living is the largest product section of spoga+gafa. It covers Halls 1 to 4, 5.2, 9 and 10.1 and offers a complete overview of the theme life in the garden. Garden unique also has a strong thematic orientation on garden living. Exclusive presentations of premium outdoor furniture together with exciting young designers, who draw attention to themselves with fresh and innovative products are the focal point of this section, which is once again located in Hall 10.2. In the product segment garden creation & care, which is located in Passage 4/5, Halls 5.1 and 6, everything revolves around the creation and care of gardens and terraces. In addition to the appropriate machines, tools, garden equipment and the necessary accessories, everything on the theme of "living green" and the planting and growing of can be found here. Plant buyers and specialised dealers can particularly look forward to the Landgard Plants Ordering Days in Hall 5.1.

After garden living, garden bbq is the second strongest product segment of spoga+gafa. The largest coherent exhibition offer of grill & BBQ products worldwide is awaiting the trade visitors in Hall 7 once again in 2017 and thus also at the same time the largest BBQ trade fair in the world. This year garden bbq is being extended by a further focal theme: For the first time "sauces and spices" are being awarded a central exhibition place.

But that is not all: Due to the introduction of a further top theme, the product segment garden bbq is reaching a new dimension this year - through the additional allocation of Hall 8, but above all also in terms of themes. Because: Outdoor Kitchens will round off the existing bbq competence of spoga+gafa this year and will be taking Hall 8 by storm! A high-quality designed theme island, the Outdoor Kitchen World, will present this trend perfectly. The Outdoor Kitchen World presents itself in a purist, tidily arranged and modern form. Manufacturers of outdoor kitchens have the opportunity here to exhibit and present their products and installations 'for cooking in the open air'.



The Outdoor Kitchen World is a combination between an exhibition and practical areas with event character. "Through the integration of Outdoor Kitchens we are reinforcing the existing bbq competence of spoga+gafa and are further expanding it as a trend platform," explained Hamma.

Experience trends of the industry live: the 'Smart Gardening World' and the 'IVG Power Place Battery'



In Hall 6 - in the garden creation & care product segment - two theme islands, the Smart Gardening World and the IVG Power Place Battery, will be presenting the latest technology trends for the balcony, terrace and garden in an eye-catching manner this year. The exhibitor presences and product presentations, which show the new products and possibilities live and in action will be enhanced by lectures by international experts on the Technology Stage. True to the motto "Automation is no longer stopping at the garden gate", the Smart Gardening World focuses on the latest technologies and trends for outdoor lighting, lawn care, safety, BBQs, shade systems, pools and garden irrigation. In the adjacent IVG Power Place Battery, manufacturers will be presenting their battery-run products live.

Inspiring: The trend theme plants as the focus of the POS added value islands

The next new feature of spoga+gafa 2017 focuses on the trend theme plants: The POS added value islands visualise ideas for the concrete design of retail space for the two sales channels garden centres and DIY stores. They are intended to serve as inspiration or concrete implementation examples for space in the specialised garden trade, garden centres or in the garden departments of DIY stores. In line with the new "spoga+gafa experience", the POS added value islands can be visited alone or as a guided tour. On the Boulevard of Ideas, Passage 4/5 and Hall 5.1, up to five such islands will inspire the visitors on their way around the fair - each focusing on different trend themes and visualisations. The planned themes are: 'Healthier living with plants', 'DIY indoor gardening', 'Edible green', 'Enjoy and experience scents' and 'Cacti'.

The spoga+gafa 2017 is open to trade visitors on 3 and 4 September from 09:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m. and on 5 September from 09:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m. Further information is available at www.spogagafa.com .
The Garden Day 2017 is open to end-users and trade visitors on 2 and 3 September from 09:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m. Further information is available at www.tagdesgartens-koeln.com .

BHETA’s recent networking forum attracted more than 325 delegates from across the DIY, garden and housewares industries, keen to understand supplier opportunities not only with Amazon, but also with one of the leading omnichannel distributors, Decco. 

Amazon UK managers for Homewares and Furniture (Jeff Wemyss) and Tools and Home Improvement (Oliver Sawers) treated a packed house at the Ricoh Arena to insights into the online retailer’s plans to expand with additional suppliers and additional selection. Senior members from their teams joined them for over-lunch networking with individual delegates.

Jeff and Oliver outlined several vendor services and introduced a number of new consumer-facing services that could take the supplier opportunity to new levels. Amazon is working with BHETA to build a proactive ‘creating value together’ relationship, including events such as Meet the Buyer, vendor workshops and fulfilment centre visits.

Charlie Lacey, chief operating officer of family-owned Decco, whose turnover is 80% home and garden products and 20% construction products, said the company was continuously looking to attract new suppliers and new products to enhance its wholly branded portfolio. With its partnership approach, offline and online support services, stock holding, fleet, promotional programmes and trade shows, the Decco network could be utilised as a means to penetrate new markets.

Daniel Fearnley, head of home at GfK , outlined the latest consumer data on both online retail and the consumer shopping journey in general, and Clive Daley of mdj2 Associates delivered some practical solutions for suppliers attempting to negotiate the cost implications of fluctuating currency with their retail partners.

The application period for the young designer competition of the international garden fair closes tomorrow, Monday May 15th 2017.

Students and designers across Europe, who have completed their studies within the past three years, can apply with their ideas on the competition theme 'Outdoor Living'. The participants have the chance to exhibit their prototypes at the leading international garden fair, spoga+gafa, which is being staged in Cologne from 3 to 5 September 2017.

Prize-money totalling Euro 7,000 (first to third places as well as a public prize) and the title unique youngstar 2017 are up for grabs.

Apply here: http://www.spogagafa.com/spogagafa/Landing-Pages/Contest-young-star-garden-unique/index.php



Whether furniture for the garden, balcony or terrace, shade or irrigation systems, whether simple or complex. Everything that fits in with the 'Outdoor Living' theme and which isn't already found in the summer living-room is allowed in the unique youngstar competition.

Young creative designers can submit their 'garden design' ideas up until 15 May. An international expert jury will select up to 15 nominees from among all entries. Evaluation criteria include the overall concept, the originality of the design, the conceptual and visionary quality, the functionality and quality of presentation.

The 'chosen ones' can exhibit their designs at the leading international garden fair and thus have the chance to present their idea to an international trade audience. In 2016, over 39,000 visitors (+6 percent) came to Cologne for spoga+gafa. The winners (first to third places as well as a public prize) can look forward to prize-money totalling Euro 7,000 and to claiming the title unique youngstar 2017.

The winners will be announced at the end of the first day of the fair (3 September). So: It is certainly worth taking part!

More information on the young designer competition and the application form can be found here http://www.spogagafa.com/spogagafa/Landing-Pages/Contest-young-star-garden-unique/index.php

The spoga+gafa 2017 is open to trade visitors on 3 and 4 September from 09:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m. and on 5 September from 09:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m. Further information is available at www.spogagafa.com .

Kelkay has announced the appointment of Sarah Downing to the senior management team in the newly-created role of head of marketing.

MD Antony Harker said it was a strategically important appointment to help the company respond to the increasing demands on the business and support its continued growth.

Downing worked with Gardman between 2011 and 2015, moving up to the position of marketing director.

She left to move north and has been head of marketing at Humber Bondholders, a network of 280-plus businesses working together to promote the Humber.

"I'm delighted to be joining Kelkay at such an exciting time in the businesses’ development when there is such strength and momentum in the company, so to be part of that and back in an industry that I love is just brilliant.” Downing said.

Christmas and outdoor leisure products supplier Trans-Continental Group has appointed Adam Gregory as sales director.

Gregory has been with the company for five years and has worked his way up from area representative. MD Mike Withers said: “Adam has been an exceptionally effective salesman since he joined the company and in recent years has been at the top of our sales league, achieving strong growth in both SunTime and SnowTime categories. I welcome him to our board of directors and congratulate him on his well deserved promotion. I am confident that his proven abilities will help to drive the company to further success in the years to come”.

Deco-Pak has appointed Bruce Atkinson (left in picture) as new national sales and key account manager as Rod Slater (pictured), previously the decorative aggregate specialist’s general manager, becomes a director. 

The company says the appointment represents a move to more efficient and more experienced company structure, and frees up founder Mike Hall to take on the role of chairman.

Atkinson, formerly of Pacific Lifestyle, brings more than 15 years of garden industry sales experience. His appointment will be seen as a statement of intent from the West Yorkshire company, which has expansion in its sights with growth across its key product categories landscaping, gardening and wild bird care.

He is currently working with a number of national retailers and garden centre chains on bespoke ranges and point of sale.

• Quantil Runner Bean White Emergo Strips moved to the top spot.
• Quantil Tomato Supersweet 100 8cm was the highest re-entry at No 13.
• Quantil Sweet Pepper Red 8cm was the highest climber, jumping 33 places to No 11.

Our index for Garden Product sales is down 42% on the same week last year.

The highlights were:

• Gardman Crackle Glass Hanging Light Bulb was the highest new entry at No 9.
• Scotts Miracle-Gro Slow Release Azalea, Camellia & Rhodo Food 1kg was the highest climber.
• Woodlodge Small Pot Feet was the highest re-entry.

The organisers of Glee have come up with 10 reasons why home & gift buyers should visit Glee 2017 this September.

• 60+ home, gift & clothing suppliers all ready and willing to do business More than 60 home, gift and clothing brands will be making their home at Glee 2017, bringing with them a wide selection of products, from seasonal gifts, to garden and outdoor clothing.
• Garden centre focused These suppliers are armed with products and services designed to drive sales in-store at garden centres.
• Year-round sales opportunity Gifts, homeware and outdoor clothing are increasingly becoming big business within garden retailers, offering an unrivalled opportunity to maximise year-round sales, from Mothers’ Day to Christmas, as well as drive impulse sales.
• More time to compare & contrast With a more targeted set of exhibitors comes less competition for time. At Glee, home, gift and clothing retailers and suppliers have more time to network and forge better relationships.
• New and lapsed brands provide variety At Glee this year, visitors will be treated to a selection of home, gift and clothing brands never before seen at Glee, as well as some making their return. Look out for Voyage Versand, Villeroy & Boch UK Ltd, Kettle Interiors, Bronte by Moon, Aigle International and the RHS.
• Selected, focused offering Gift exhibitors at Glee will be bringing with them a targeted and audited product range, featuring the hardest working and most profitable products in their arsenal.
• Better use of your time All available under one roof for three dedicated days, Glee streamlines your purchasing process.
• Be inspired by new merchandising ideas & linked sales opportunities Look out for inspirational content from Glee’s 600+ exhibitors, as well as those within the dedicated Home, Gift & Clothing section of the show.
• Access to other exciting products you might not have considered before Glee is the place to explore additional profit-making opportunities. 
• And if you miss it all, there is always Glee at Spring Fair 2018! Part of Glee’s ongoing investment and expansion plans, Glee’s Spring Fair concession will provide a second opportunity within the buying cycle to refresh ranges ahead of key retail spikes.

For more information, visit the website

• Scotts Levington Multipurpose + John Innes (56 litres) stayed on top of the chart.
• Scotts Miracle-Gro Moisture Control (40 litres) was the highest new etnry at No 19.
• Durstons Manor Farm Multipurpose 50L  was the highest re-entry at No 35.
• Westland Multipurpose + John Innes (40 litres) was the highest climber, moving up 19 places to No 25.

Hornby Whitefoot PR (HWPR) has now signed with Boyd Douglas-Davies, CEO of the Hillview Garden Centre Group, Greenfingers Trustee and founder of Garden Re-Leaf Day, to assist with publicity across all 11 of Hillview’s Garden Stores, as well as the e-commerce site www.gardenstoreonline.co.uk.

Kick starting this May, the new relationship will work to grow the regional profile of Hillview’s ever-expanding portfolio of garden centres. HWPR will work closely with Hillview’s marketing team, to ensure that all events, news and expansion plans are effectively communicated to the areas that each centre services.

Kimberley Hornby, Managing Director at HWPR commented: “It is fantastic to announce a new partnership with Boyd, with whom we have had a long history, most notably our involvement since day one of Garden Re-Leaf Day.   Boyd is an inspiring figure to work with, and watching the Hillview portfolio grow over the last five years has been an absolute joy. Now, HWPR is part of this journey, and we look forward to working with Boyd and his team to further expand Hillview’s offering.”

HWPR and Hillview – a match made in radio heaven

In 2015, HWPR were tasked with encouraging more broadcast media to the annual Glee exhibition. Taking full advantage of the challenge set, the HWPR team were pleased to confirm the attendance of Samantha Fenwick, the reporter for Radio 4’s You & Yours programme.  

Boyd Douglas Davies, CEO of Hillview and long term collaborator with Hornby Whitefoot, was selected by the team to be interviewed by Samantha along with several other top garden retail figures. 

The resulting interview was listened to by millions, and was so well received by listeners and producers that elements were used on subsequent programmes and Boyd was called up for a second interview on another episode of You and Yours which aired this month (May 1st 2017).

Listen to Boyd’s interviews on Radio 4’s You and Yours website: At Glee on the challenge posed by supermarket plant sales - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b070ffbk [27:53] and speaking from Burford House Garden Store http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08njtjq [30:53]

• Hardy Geraniums are also proving popular with sales increasing by over 500%.
• Tagetes and Cosmos both increased sales by more than 200%. Tagetes is the highest re-entry in our chart at No 24 and Cosmos climbs 16 places to No 16.

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

The RHS say this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, which opens on Tuesday 23 May, is now a sell-out.

Ticket sales for the show, which is sponsored by M&G Investments, have been the most popular since 2014.

Nick Mattingley, the RHS’s director of shows, said: “Selling out now demonstrates the appetite for the new content and the innovations at Chelsea this year, including the BBC Radio 2 Feel Good Gardens; a ‘secret garden’, which can only be viewed from an elevated position, and an urban street art mural, incorporating plants and art.

“It’s going to feel like a very fresh, pioneering and exciting RHS Chelsea Flower Show.”

For the first time visitors will be offered an elevated view of a ‘secret garden’. The edge of the Linklaters Garden for Maggie’s is a three-metre high hornbeam hedge, which contains gaps where you can glimpse a beautiful garden. The only full view comes from a raised position at the back, which, for the first time, visitors will be able to walk along.

The Chengdu Silk Road Garden combines architecture and planting. Huge multi-coloured sculptural fins representing a Chinese mountain range create an extraordinary spectacle. The Bermuda Triangle features an erupting volcano – another first at Chelsea. A palm at the centre of the volcano erupts from four sections of laser cut aluminium sheeting illuminated by purple and red LED lightings, while a Perspex sheet surrounding the garden mirrors the whole design.

More new sights for RHS Chelsea will be found in The M&G Garden 2017, which is situated within a Maltese quarry, with two giant Maltese lime stone pillars, some eight metres and five metres high. With special permission from the Maltese government, the garden will feature some unusual and specific plants that are unique to Malta - Euphorbia melitensis, Salsola melitensis, Limonium melitense, Matthiola incana subsp. melitensis.

New content this year also includes the five BBC Radio 2 Feel Good Gardens, which will show how plants can enrich and indulge one of the five senses – touch, taste, smell, sight and sound.

Light-emitting concrete, made up of 80,000 fibre optic cords to allow light to shine through it, in Kate Gould’s multi-tiered ‘City Living’ urban garden and a transparent wall made with metallic rods as high as a double decker bus (4m) are two of the urban and cutting edge enterprises at Chelsea this year. Street Art will also feature for the first time in the metropolitan RHS Greening Grey Britain Garden.

Chelsea  attracts around 165,000 visitors.

A new website called Choolip.com is aiming to connect people who don’t have to space to grow their own food with householders who have unused garden space.

Growing your own food has never been more popular in the UK but many budding GYO-ers are either living in urban areas with no space of their own to grow or are among the 140,000 names on council allotment waiting lists.

Choolip.com founder Aidan Flynn believes that there is an untapped supply of land in the UK suitable for growing of fruit and vegetables but is unloved and untended. “After the recent vegetable shortages retailers reported that the sales of seeds sky-rocketed,” he said, “and it is widely acknowledged that as a country we are going back to nature and growing our own food again. Choolip.com was developed to create a community that helps people who want to grow their own food but lack garden space. We connect them with home/land owners in their locality who have an unused plot of land or a garden space that can be rented out as a ‘growing concern'.”

He thinks it’s a “win-win situation as an unused garden can be turned into extra income for its owner when rented out to a gardener who can then reap the many benefits of growing their own fresh produce”.

Choolip.com enables owners flag up their details share the details free of charge. All gardens are vetted and safety checked by Choolip, who will collect rental income monthly on their behalf through the PayPal service.

Simon Pearson of Staffordshire, who recently joined the Choolip.com community and rented out his unused garden, said: “I've dreamed of sorting my garden out for years but never had the time, energy or skills to get round to it. After listing my garden on Choolip I found a local gardener who has turned my outside space into something I am proud of. The best bit, I earn extra money every month.”

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 printed newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2014 as well as 2015 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £195.00 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 Veg-2-Gro Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers 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.

Uxbridge based foodservice and food retailing equipment provider Fri-Jado UK has broadened its range of modular counters to meet the needs of ‘grab & go’ operators.

The display counters are well established in the food retailing sector with installations in supermarkets and forecourt outlets, throughout the world. The proven technology is equally suitable for food to go applications, including convenience stores, sandwich shops, cafés and delicatessen, as well as quick service restaurants and cafeteria style foodservice operations.

The company offers models for the display of hot, chilled or ambient food, which may be supplied in 750mm or 1000mm case lengths. Modules may be easily suited to create in-line counter runs, for the display of hot, chilled and ambient food, providing a consistent merchandising solution for the complete food to go offer.

The fact that the counters are modular, standalone units means they can be installed easily, eliminating potentially costly shopfitting services. The counters may be relocated on the sales floor, in a variety of configurations, to provide maximum merchandising flexibility, meeting changes in the menu offer and seasonal trading variations.

Fri-Jado UK’s sister company, TEC Line Limited, offers a comprehensive installation, commissioning and maintenance service for the company’s products.

Information: 01895 272227 or visit the website