During three days at the NEC writing the SOLEX SUN, the GTN Xtra team collected the views on the market and SOLEX 2015 from a number of garden centres including Haskins, Squires, Chessington, Bosworths, Monkton Elm’ Caulders and Fresh@Burcot.

The team from Chessington Garden Centre (pictured above) were first through the door on each of the three show days taking their buying very seriously. “Outdoor Living sales have now grown to be 12% of our turnover,” said managing director Jolyon Martin.

Conna Powles, Buying Director at Haskins told GTN Xtra:  “We were very nervous going into the season this year as we had had a really good year last year, further to a complete review of our strategy and Haskins had a record year over all.  However, the momentum has continued into this year, consumer confidence is strong and our strategy is now only tweaked year on year to keep the offer fresh. “

Haskins sales YTD are as follows;

“When I first visited Solex three years ago, and being new to garden centres, I found the offers very confusing.  I found it difficult to identify the strength of each supplier.  However, this year, it was more evident that most suppliers were playing to their more strengths in terms of what materials they are using and what quality of furniture they are offering.  It was easier to select families of product and identify the good, better and best.”

“At Haskins, we are very clear on our customer profile and ensure that we buy according to that identity and so this move by suppliers has made it easier to do that.  We don’t want to try to be all things to all people and the suppliers had identified that they can’t either.”

“There still was not a great deal of out and out new product development, although some suppliers were experimenting more with colour (both fabrics and weaves).”

“I thought it was a good move to switch the show to a Tues/Weds/Thurs format.”

Darren Oakley from Squires Garden Centres reported:  “It’s a good show, the only place where you can look and compare manufactures products “side by side”.  Once we leave Solex we have a solid view as to our ranging for the following season”

Sam Bosworth, owner of Bosworths Garden Centre said: “SOLEX was a good show.  Busy on Tuesday, felt buoyant and positive.  Quiet on Thursday when we went back, which was good for us.”

“The quality of displays was great and it was good to see some differentiation of products on exhibitors stands with not the same product appearing everywhere.  Not too much real innovation, but obviously difficult, probably only real new thing that may catch on in any sort of volume was the Suntime COSI lounge sets in the marine fabric.”

“This season has been good, we are 25% up YTD to end of June in this category.  It’s been fairly steady each month from April onwards, and seems to be carrying on with strong sales of parasols recently.  People are willing to spend on better parasols and finally seem to be realising that cantilever parasols are more effective than traditional anti social and unpractical through the table parasols!”

“Weave has been stronger than ever, mesh has done well, cast aluminium slowed down this year and wood is still struggling.  Accessories been really good, Hammocks, Egg Chairs, Gliders and occasional pieces are where there is good growth.”

Steve Ainscough, Birkacre Garden Centre told GTN Xtra that sales have held up reasonably well this year, adding “I'm sure this market is a bit trickier for us than for those enjoying the more Mediterranean climate down south (where perhaps customers are also a bit less price conscious!).”

Neil Gow from Fresh@Burcot Garden Centre tells us that the Outdoor Living market is getting increasingly difficult to make business sense of for the smaller independent retailer. “Our ‘Leisure’ sales are running just shy of 21% up to the end of June against last year and July is going very well so far.  One of the problems with Solex being so early in the selling season, is we are only part way through potential sales. But at least we know what of the ranges we are stocking will not be continued by suppliers for next year so we can work to clear stocks through and maintain margin with all the July, August and even September sales to come.“

“The service levels from our suppliers have been generally good this year but the availability shocking! We can’t hold big stocks so we need our suppliers to do this. The supplier who can sort this conundrum will do very well.”

From the West Country, Steve Searle of Monkton Elm Garden Centre said “Solex was the best yet.  We felt the show was well laid out and suppliers had plenty of innovative new products for us to choose from. We talked to 2 new possible suppliers for next season as we felt their styles were what we were looking for.”

“We are 20% up on garden furniture this year and it was good last year so we are well pleased so far. The big winner has been the outdoor dining sets in the resin wicker look as we just could not get enough of them to meet demand. This is a growing sector in outdoor style as you can use them in a conservatory and then when it gets too hot you can use them on the patio.

“I have also been talking to suppliers for us to buy items as part of our group the Great Western Partnership as this gives us good promotions for us the independents to compete with the nationals that are out there and online companies.”

Finally for a Scottish view, Colin Barrie, owner of Caulders Garden Centres says:  “I felt that Solex was better than ever this year!  We managed to choose our range for 2016 and found everything we needed, from "price entry point" to "high end".  Although the 2015 season has been poor in Scotland, with worse weather than we've seen for years, outdoor living sales were good early on.”

“Following my visit to Solex I'm excited about outdoor living sales for 2016.”

See all the SOLEX coverage and more garden centre comment on the SOLEX SUN Review issue to be published next week.