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Dobbies confirms John Cleland as new CEO
Andy King agrees to stay as strategic advisor to the board
The new owners of Dobbies, Midlothian Capital Partners and Hattington Capital, announce John Cleland as CEO. He will replace Andy King, who has agreed to stay with the business as a strategic adviser to the Board.
The new owners of Dobbies, Midlothian Capital Partners and Hattington Capital, announce John Cleland as CEO. He will replace Andy King, who has agreed to stay with the business as a strategic adviser to the Board.
John Cleland brings 30 years of leadership experience in retail and consumer businesses. His expertise has been built across food and non-food categories, in the UK and abroad, and has included senior management positions at ASDA Walmart, Somerfield and Maplin.
Andrew Bracey and Barney Burgess introduced John to his new colleagues at the Dobbies Headquarters in Edinburgh yesterday (Tuesday) and also thanked the outgoing Chief Executive, Andy King, for his contribution to the business.
Barney Burgess of Hattington Capital commented: "As one of Britain's leading Garden Centre businesses, it is great news for Dobbies that John is joining as CEO. He will play a pivotal role in the future Dobbies success story. We're looking forward to supporting him as he leads the business through its next phase of growth.”
Andrew Bracey of Midlothian Capital commented: “We're delighted that John is coming to Dobbies. Dobbies is an iconic brand with a great legacy and a bright future. We also want to publicly recognise the role of Andy King who has been a great steward of Dobbies, and will remain with us as a strategic adviser."
John Cleland, the incoming CEO, told his new colleagues: “I’ve always been an admirer of Dobbies. It’s one of the great, heritage brands in British retail. We hope to build on that and create a stronger, market leading company. I am very much looking forward to working with new colleagues to grow the business together in the future.”
Andy King said: “It’s been a privilege to be Chief Executive of Dobbies for the past 3 years. The energy and enthusiasm of colleagues and customers make this a great place to work. I wish the new owners and John Cleland the very best in growing Dobbies and look forward to my new advisory position.”
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What do we know about John Cleland?
John Cleland has 30 years’ experience in retail, most recently as CEO of Maplin Electronics where he led the four-year repositioning of the business and its subsequent successful sale...
John Cleland has 30 years’ experience in retail, most recently as CEO of Maplin Electronics where he led the four-year repositioning of the business and its subsequent successful sale.
Prior to this Cleland was CEO of Esporta Health and Fitness, again in private ownership with the sale of the business to Virgin Active in 2011.
In the preceding decade he played key roles in the Somerfield take private transaction as Chief Operating Officer.
Prior to this he was commercial Director at B&Q, Senior Vice President Operations WalMart Japan, Retail MD Asda stores Limited and Director of buying ASDA stores limited.
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Garden Centre sales in June 2016 were 15% down on last year according to GTN Bestsellers volume sales EPoS data but for those who remember the summers of 2011 and 2012 the performance was a great improvement, up 20% on 2011 and up 10% on 2012.
The poorer than last year June sales means we reach the half year with a GTN Bestsellers All Products Index down 3% on last year which is dissapointing to many, but up 16% on the first half of 2012.
The full half year GTN Bestsellers analysis will be included in next weeks GTN Bestsellers weekly printed newsletter. To subscribe use the links below:
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Purpose-built garden centre Rosebourne, which is currently under construction near Thruxton, attracted more than 250 people to attend its recent open days as part of a recruitment drive.
The management team at Rosebourne are keen to establish the business as a central hub for the local community and are recruiting for over 80 full and part-time roles including apprenticeships.
The two recruitment days gave potential recruits the opportunity to meet key members of the Rosebourne team, find out more about specific vacancies and to learn more about the business.
Rosebourne will set a new benchmark in garden centres, creating a premium customer experience with a focus on locally sourced fresh produce, dining, traditional plants and unique gifts. This will be underpinned by the company’s ethos to champion local suppliers, whose produce and craftsmanship will be showcased throughout the centre.
Neville Prest, Managing Director at Rosebourne, said: “We are delighted with the outstanding calibre of recruits who attended the two Rosebourne recruitment days.
"Our mission is to make Rosebourne a leisure destination that is renowned for food, plant and gift products, underpinned by excellent service. We are dedicated to help build long term careers at Rosebourne, and we look forward to welcoming our new employees."
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The HTA National Plant Show has won the accolade of ‘Exhibition of the Year’ at the Trade Association Forum 2016 Best Practice Awards which took place in London on 6 July.
The show, which takes place in June, brings together growers and retailers to showcase the best plant production from UK nurseries. A sell out event this year the show has gone from strength to strength and is recognised as a key date in the horticultural calendar.
This is the second time that the show has received recognition at the Awards, after being crowned ‘Event of the Year’ in 2011, as James Buffoni, Managing Director of headline sponsor Hortipak alludes to. He comments, "As sponsors the HTA National Plant Show since inception we are delighted to see this investment been put to such good use. This second success at the TAF Awards is in recognition of the consistently high standard that is set at the National Plant Show, and most importantly the recognition of the quality that is so clearly on display at each show."
There was also success for HTA News, the HTA’s flagship magazine. It received a high commendation in the fiercely contested Magazine of the Year category.
Now in their 14th year the Trade Association Forum Best Practice Awards provide members with the opportunity to showcase their hard work and achievements during the last 12 to 18 months. The Awards are formally supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
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Retailers have the opportunity to stand out from the crowd, thanks to the eye-catching range of pre-painted timber garden structures from Grange Fencing.
Developed as a result of in-depth consumer research, the range features over 100 of the company’s most popular timber products and provides a real opportunity to maximise consumer appeal.
 Whether accentuating the garden with an Arch or Pergola, or simply renewing well- worn fence panels, consumers can opt to brighten up their purchase with a choice of four classic and on trend colours; Sage Green, Cornish Cream, Heritage Blue and Dove Grey. These neutral tones have been selected to blend perfectly within any outdoor space and guarantee a stylish, high quality product with both aesthetic and utilitarian appeal.
Antony Barrett, Trade Marketing Manager at Grange commented, “ With the growing trend for outdoor living, an increasing number of homeowners are looking to interior design as inspiration for the garden landscape. In the same way that colour can be used to set the mood of a particular room, so too can it add a personalised finish to the garden space.”
Boasting one of the largest pre-painted ranges in the industry, Grange employs a unique colouring system which provides a longer life of up to five years colour retention and added protection against UVA.
For a little extra, the pre-painted range offers an affordable solution to adding a splash of colour in the garden, without the hassle of painting the products yourself, and can be used to create a unique landscape that really turns heads.
Interested retailers can contact the company for more information about this, as well as other services and Grange products, by phoning 01952 588 088 or emailing sales@grangefen.co.uk
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Stock Eden - profit from accessories
Over 90 greenhouse retailers have taken up the Eden challenge and are now profiting from the Eden Zero Threshold™ range, the first design breakthrough in aluminium greenhouses for more than 25 years...
Over 90 greenhouse retailers have taken up the Eden challenge and are now profiting from the Eden Zero Threshold™ range, the first design breakthrough in aluminium greenhouses for more than 25 years.
Now there is the chance to add to the success of the four-strong range with a purpose designed collection of accessories. These work equally well with the Birdlip, Burford, Blockley and Bourton models, all of which feature the Eden Zero Threshold™ Sliding Door System, which guarantees gardeners ‘no trip’ access - particularly helpful for wheelchair users and for anyone using a wheelbarrow or trolley.
 A range of aluminium shelving and staging designed to fit perfectly in every size of all the four models is available in aluminium, green or black to match the greenhouses perfectly.
The sturdy design uses cantilever bracing to attach directly to the greenhouse frame and the slat design features a ribbed finish to help water drainage from pots and trays.
The new ventilation accessories include solar powered automatic roof vent openers and a six blade louvre vent. This fits perfectly in the side of any of the four Zero Threshold™ greenhouses and again is available in matching colours.
The water butt system comprises a 100L water butt, made from recycled materials and available in grey and black. It includes a black water butt stand and a hosepipe compatible tap.
Also in the range is a gutter connecting kit, which is designed to offer an easy solution to joining both gutters to a single water butt. It uses 40mm push fit connectors and the greenhouse down pipes to join to the centrally located water but. Additional fittings are available separately to allow an end user to create a custom water harvesting set up.
Interested retailers should contact their Eden Halls representative or call the company on 01242 676625 or email mail@eden-greenhouses.com.
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Deco-Pak pushing for major supplier status
In demand garden and landscaping supplier Deco-Pak has come a long way from its humble beginnings since establishing itself in the garden industry over a decade ago. With a reputation for supplying quality decorative aggregates and landscaping materials - the business has since expanded into birdhouses and feeders, and is gradually becoming a one-stop-shop for retail partners...
In demand garden and landscaping supplier Deco-Pak has come a long way from its humble beginnings since establishing itself in the garden industry over a decade ago. With a reputation for supplying quality decorative aggregates and landscaping materials - the business has since expanded into birdhouses and feeders, and is gradually becoming a one-stop-shop for retail partners.
Successful new product additions are helping Deco-Pak to win plenty of new business, with existing customers such as Thompsons Plant and Garden Centre making great strides forward with the new Heritage Stone Co. aggregates range, and the rebranded Chelsea Garden range of growing media; improving sales in its gravels and sands department by a whopping 300%. With other ranges such as the newly rebranded Heritage Birdhouses and Feeders also proving successful, buyers are now looking on with keener interest at what else the company has to offer.
New products in buyers’ sights
Multi-use products, planters and outdoor furniture
Early success for Deco-Pak’s Eastern Stone Co. range, with the Buddha Head taking home the ‘highly commended’ award at Glee 2015, looks set to lead the company into new territory. The unique rainbow sandstone range of statuary and water features now includes a new decorative yet functional hand-crafted Eastern Stone Bench and Eastern Stone Tulip planter. Retailers looking for multi-use products are further livening up their statuary offering with the new Eastern Stone Bird Bath that not only provides an attractive feature for birds, but can also be planted and even turned into a unique water feature.
New gift and wildlife products
The top bestsellers from Deco-Pak’s incredibly popular decorative birdhouses and feeders range were boxed in new packaging, which has been working to draw attention to the range’s gift potential. 2016 will see more of the existing ranges under the Heritage banner, further increasing profit potential for retailers. In the meantime, four new insect hotels, designed for UK insects by experts, have been launched to give retailers even more profit making opportunities in the wildlife care product category.
Premium heritage aggregates
After a successful initial trial with several stores, the Heritage Stone Co. range is now being rolled out to an increasing number of garden centres across the country, thanks to Deco-Pak’s investment in packaging and a dedicated in house graphic designer. Investment in marketing has also lead to publicity and exposure in a range of lifestyle magazines such as Period Living and also on TV, as part of ITV’s Love Your Garden series. The range is made up of eight different decorative aggregate mixes, including Yorkshire Gold, Cornish Silver and Highland Marble.
Find out moreVisit www.deco-pak.co.uk, connect via twitter @deco_pak, or call the sales support team on 01422 204394 to find out how you can benefit from stocking Deco-Pak’s wide range of garden and landscaping essentials.
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Concern about Japanese Knotweed highlights importance of glyphosate
There has been discussion in the news recently about the best way to tackle and dispose of Japanese knotweed. This follows a study by the University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Unit which found a range of conflicting and confusing online advice about control and disposal of this invasive species...
There has been discussion in the news recently about the best way to tackle and dispose of Japanese knotweed. This follows a study by the University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Unit which found a range of conflicting and confusing online advice about control and disposal of this invasive species.
It is widely accepted that glyphosate is the most effective method of chemical control available to the home gardener for controlling Japanese knotweed. The European Commission has recently granted an 18 month extension to the licence of glyphosate following the failure of Member States to re-licence the active ingredient for the full 15 year period, despite it receiving a clean bill of health from European regulators.
Gary Philpotts, Chair of the Common Sense Gardening Group said: “Gardeners that find Japanese knotweed in their gardeners will rightly be concerned about this rapidly spreading perennial weed, however, it can be controlled with approved glyphosate products available at garden centres and DIY stores. You will need to be patient as it can take up to three to four seasons to be eradicated.
“It is estimated that Japanese knotweed costs around £165 million to control in the UK, this highlights how important glyphosate is and how removal of this crucial tool would make control even more difficult and costly.
“The indecision of Member States and the need for an 18 month extension demonstrates how politicised the regulatory process has become at the EU level. Hopefully this 18 month extension will provide an opportunity for common sense and scientific evidence to prevail. Failure to re-licence glyphosate for the full 15 year term would be contrary to the science and remove a key tool which helps gardeners deal with a range of weed pressures, including Japanese knotweed.”
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Tong Garden Centre has reached the shortlist in the Outstanding Customer Service category of the Welcome to Yorkshire White Rose Awards.
The leading independent garden centre, acquired in 2015 by new owners Mark Farnsworth and Tom Megginson, is one of six finalists that includes prestigious businesses Bettys Café Tea Rooms, Harrogate and The Grand Hotel and Spa, York.
The Welcome to Yorkshire White Rose Awards is the largest celebration of tourism excellence in the UK. The Outstanding Customer Service award recognises and rewards exemplary customer service throughout Yorkshire and the winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony later in the year.
Of the shortlist, Tong Garden Centre's co-owner, Mark Farnsworth said: "We're so proud of everyone who has worked tirelessly to put the customer first and has helped to transform Tong.
"This shortlist success is testament to the commitment and loyalty displayed by our growing team over the course of a busy, exciting and challenging year as we restore Tong to the garden centre it deserves to be."
Tong's shortlist success comes on the back of its Highly Commended award at the Garden Retail Awards earlier in the year.
Tong Garden Centre is one of Yorkshire's biggest garden centres with 110,000 square feet of retail space and parking for up to 1,000 cars.
Photo: The team at Tong celebrating the shortlist news L-R - James Tolson, Tracey Mitchell, Chris Hope, Susan Rayner, Mark Farnsworth, John Morley, Sharon Brown, Ian Burns, John Bamforth, and Dion Magyar.
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Greenfingers has completed its 50th hospice garden project this month as the charity finishes work on two tranquil garden spaces at the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice in Sheffield.
The gardens at Bluebell Wood are reflective, calm spaces that sits beside the two bereavement suites at the hospice and are designed to offer privacy and space for contemplation at times of grief. Careful thought was given to providing year round greenery with planting to attract wildlife, bringing movement and an overall sense of tranquility in the gardens for families at difficult times.
Whilst many Greenfingers gardens focus on bringing elements of play and fun to children with ongoing illnesses who spend time in hospices, the gardens at Bluebell Wood highlights the extremely important work the charity does in providing the therapeutic benefits of gardens to those dealing with very upsetting end-of-life circumstances.
Deborah Skillicorn, Greenfingers Charity Director, commented on the latest garden build saying: “It feels fitting that our 50th garden should be these beautiful, contemplative spaces at Bluebell Wood – being able to offer some comfort to families experiencing extremely difficult times is an emotive reminder of why we do the work we do.
"It is incredible that since Greenfingers started back in 1998 we have create 50 well-designed, accessible and inspiring gardens for children and their families in hospices around the UK. Reaching this milestone is a wonderful achievement and with many more hospices waiting for our help we look forward to continuing the great work and giving the gift of a garden to even more children.”
The gardens at Bluebell Wood could not have been made without the incredible help and support the charity has received from across the horticulture industry.
These gardens in particular have relied heavily on gift in kind donations of products and services and Greenfingers would like to offer its thanks and appreciation to everyone who has been involved.
Creating the gardens outside the bereavement suites at the hospice could not have been possible without the support of many, including Langlands Garden Centre, Europlanters, James Bird Landscapes, Westland Horticulture, Kelkay Ltd, Gardman Ltd, Millboard Decking, P G Bridgman Co Ltd, Easigrass and The Garden Trellis Company.
Deborah Skillicorn continued: “We are extremely lucky to work in an industry where we have received such wonderful support since the charity began. Again, it seems fitting that we were able to complete this, our 50th garden, working with an amazing group of individuals and companies who have so generously given time, products and services to help us create these spaces at Bluebell Wood.
"We cannot thank you enough for your kind heartedness and continued support of the work we do.”
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GIMA Awards: a night to remember for leading brands
The GIMA Awards have become a key date in the garden retail industry’s diary. Not only do the awards represent one of the main annual industry networking events, but they also work to celebrate the most exciting brands, products and marketing initiatives launched to market that year by leading garden, home and lifestyle brands, as well as celebrating innovation from little known suppliers...
Pictured: double winners of GIMA’s most prestigious award - the Sword of Excellence – Burgon & Ball.
The GIMA Awards have become a key date in the garden retail industry’s diary. Not only do the awards represent one of the main annual industry networking events, but they also work to celebrate the most exciting brands, products and marketing initiatives launched to market that year by leading garden, home and lifestyle brands, as well as celebrating innovation from little known suppliers.
With the 2016 awards fast approaching (14th July, Celtic Manor), we catch up with the GIMA team to find out more about them, plus chat to some previous winners to find out more about how winning a GIMA Award has positively impacted their business.
Celebrating excellence across 16 categories, each year hundreds of entries are received for consideration. It is the job of the GIMA Awards judging panel – made up of the cream of UK garden retailing and garden media - to sort through all the deserving entries to select the one product that best embodies the values of each award. A full day of judging is the only way to achieve this, with judges getting up close and personal with the products.
GIMA director, Vicky Nuttall says of the judging process: “One of the greatest parts of the awards is seeing the number of entries increase year on year, however this does give our judges even more work to do! Our judging process is rigorous and fair, with all our judges taking the time to view products and offer opinions and feedback. It is this collaborative effort that enables us to choose the most deserving winners.
“Our advice to anyone wanting to enter future awards would be to ensure that your supporting material is honest, interesting and inspirational. Also, showcase consumer messages as this helps us to better appreciate the commercial value of your product. But more than anything, create stand-out, be proud of your product and have fun with your entry.”
Double winners of GIMA’s most prestigious award - the Sword of Excellence – Burgon & Ball is one company that knows the true value of winning a GIMA Award. Winning no less than five awards at the 2015 award ceremony, here Heather Culpan, managing director at Burgon & Ball shares her experience of what being a GIMA award winner means to her business.
“We were delighted to be recognised in the GIMA Awards, as they particularly highlight innovation. We have always sought to bring our customers something different, and we’re extremely committed to our programme of new product development. Our wins endorse this approach; there will always be a place in the market for genuine innovation.
“We’ve been lucky enough to win the GIMA Sword of Excellence twice, with our RHS gifts range in 2014 and our Weed Slice in 2015. Both these products have sold phenomenally well; in fact, the Weed Slice was one of the top-selling garden products in the UK last year. One major garden centre chain was selling a Weed Slice a day – in the off-season. Since our win, we have also introduced a short-handled version in response to customer demand.
“Undoubtedly, our advice to anyone considering entering the GIMA awards is to go for it! There is a great deal of kudos attached to winning, and it throws the spotlight onto a product of which you’re proud and have put a lot into. It’s a genuine point of differentiation for the product, but also the recognition from the industry means a lot. We shall certainly be entering again this year, as it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the innovation of our new products."
Another multi-award winner at the 2015 awards was Eden Greenhouses. Eden Greenhouses were awarded the GIMA Sword of Excellence Special Commendation for its Zero Threshold Birdlip Greenhouse. Eliciting a strong response from all judges thanks to the simplicity of design, this award represented the first time a special commendation has been added to the Sword of Excellence award roster.
Marketing manager of Eden Halls Greenhouses, Pete Monahan “Winning the award has also enabled additional PR stories in the trade press and effectively extended our trade launch campaign. From a standing start in 2015, the Eden Zero Threshold™ range has attracted over 110 dealers even before the season has really started. While the range is genuinely ground-breaking and one of only a very few breakthroughs in aluminium framed greenhouse design for many years, the GIMA award has been a real bonus in marketing the range as a whole and the Birdlip in particular, both at home and abroad.
“I can wholeheartedly endorse the benefits of winning a GIMA award because of its credibility and the instant recognition it commands. It’s vital going forward therefore that GIMA awards are given only to real innovations in the market and as recognition of leading design and manufacture. This is the way to ensure that they retain their value as marketing tools and enable future winners to benefit in terms of actual sales and profit.”
Further information about the GIMA Awards, including booking your place at this year’s awards, visit www.gima.org.uk/gima-awards-2016
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Peacock Garden Supports develops, produces and sells high quality plant supports for more than 25 years. Our products are being sold in 3,000 garden centres and DIY-stores worldwide. To our product ranges belong the Pinnups plant supports, plant supports which 'grow' with plants, solid rose arches, obelisks and much more functional garden decorations.
In 2015 we succesfully launched our complete new program with stylish bird feeding holders. We also introduced our new brand Mason Mini Gardens, a beautiful collection with mini-garden accessories for creating lovely mini-gardens.
To set up our sales in the United Kingdom we are looking for:
Independent Sales Agents
to build a complete new sales force.
Can you say YES to following questions:- Are you active as an independent sales representative in the garden branche?
- Are your customers garden centres, florists, DIY-shops, garden designers or garden webshops?
- Are you looking to expand your product range with high quality products?
- Do you want to increase sales in your area?
- Do you want to work with a dynamic team in a growing organisation?
- And are you an enthusiastic, driven, self-employed person with lots of persuasiveness and do you have a passion for gardening?
Then you might be one of the persons we are looking for!
How to continue:
Send your motivation and c.v. to peacock@peacock.nl and indicate in which counties you operate.
After receiving your information, we will contact you within 1 week. When there is mutual interest we will meet at the GLEE in Birmingham at Monday 12-09-2016. So save the date!
You can respond until 30-07-2016.
Peacock Garden Supports ● Industrieweg 22 ● 5688 DP ● The Netherlands ● www.peacock.nl
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Horticultural / Plantarea Manager | Gloucestershire (ref:DS8486)
Location: Gloucestershire
Salary: Excellent
Date: 07 Jul
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent
We are seeking an outstanding plants person with great merchandising and retail skills to take the role of Horticultural Manager of this Gloucestershire based garden centre which is part of a Nationwide group that are continually growing and developing their leading garden centres across England and Wales.
The Role
The role will be to take responsibility for one of the largest departments within the centre. As Horticulture / Plantarea Manager you will look after the day to day merchandising and maintenance of the plant stock as well as motivating the team to provide the highest standard of customer service. The role will also have duty management responsibility across the entire centre.
The Candidate
For this role we are seeking a leader with superb retail experience to head this busy department.
Candidates MUST HAVE strong horticultural knowledge both practical and academic and be able to demonstrate a very high level of plant knowledge.
The plantarea is the focus point of any garden centre and your standards for customer service, merchandising and the little details that make a department special will make you stand out. Experience within a garden centre is desirable as is supervisory skills.
To apply for this role click here
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Garden Centre Manager | Buckinghamshire (ref:DS8485)
Location: Buckinghamshire
Salary: £28,000 - £30,000
Date: 07 Jul
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent
This lovely plant focused garden centre based within the Buckinghamshire, Middlesex, Berkshire borders is currently looking to appoint a Garden Centre Manager to manage the day to day running of the site. They are looking for an excellent retailer with a strong background in providing excellent customer experience, ideally someone who is horticulturally trained and has experience in the plant / horticultural side of retailing.
The Role
As Manager you will be responsible for the running of this £1.2 million turnover centre which has a strong horticultural and plant focus. You will merchandise, manage stock control and wastage. Be responsible for managing the cafe, concessions and will be guiding, nurturing and developing the team of 20 staff, actively encouraging them to take ownership of their areas and give an excellent level of customer service / experience.
The Candidate
Our client is looking for a good Manager with great potential who is driven and keen to develop their retail career.The role would suit a strong Department Manager or Assistant Garden Manager who is looking to further their career and take a step towards Garden Centre Management.
To apply for this role click here
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Nursery Operatives | Horticulture (ref:DS5377)
Location: Hertfordshire
Salary: £15,000 - £18,000
Date: 08 Jul
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent
Our client is a wholesale nursery growing hardy nursery stock from three sites in south Hertfordshire employing approximately 35 full time staff. They supply a wide range of customers in the horticultural trade. In addition to their own grown material they source and supply almost any plants required by their customers, from other growers both in the UK and mainland Europe.
The Role
Currently they have vacancies for enthusiastic and committed staff to join their production teams as Nursery Operatives. The positions will be based at their sites near Hertford and Hatfield, but may involve placements at their third site near St Albans.Generally, the position is concerned with plant care, maintenance and potting. Full training will be given as necessary. Training will include both practical training undertaken "in-house" and attendance at external courses. Certain elements of training will lead to recognised qualifications e.g. first aid, use of forklifts etc.
The Candidate
Ideally candidates should possess either a horticulture qualification or practical experience in horticulture and PA1 & PA6 certificates are desirable.
Technical skills should include:
- plant knowledge,
- ability to identify plant pests and diseases
- knowledge of plant husbandry techniques
Other skills needed for these positions include:
- an enthusiastic and willing attitude;
- good communication skills
A driving license is not a requirement of the job, but you will need to have your own transport to get to their sites (no suitable public transport available).
About THE PACKAGE
Remuneration: Salary range £15k - £18k, depending on experience and relevant qualifications.
Hours: 39hour week
Our normal hours of work are 8.00am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, with half an hour for lunch (normally between 12 and 2pm).
Holiday: All staff are entitled to annual paid leave of 23 days, in addition to 8 days statutory (bank) holidays.
Other benefits: Group Personal Pension Plan and Health Insurance scheme.
To apply for this role click here
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Garden Centre Plantarea Manager (ref:DS8448)
Location: Hertfordshire
Salary: £33,000 - £35,000
Date: 17 Jun
Job Type: Full-Time
Duration: Permanent
We are seeking an outstanding Plantarea Manager for our client, they are a leading independent garden centre group who have a well stocked plantarea, a popular restaurant , along with a garden shop that offers customers a range of quality gifts and garden sundries. They are very much a destination centre but have a strong horticultural customer base and take over a 1/3 of their income from the plant department. They are currently looking for a superb plants person to take charge of the Plantarea and make this an super customer experience for their visitors.
The Role
- Will be to manage the plantarea on a day to day basis ensuring plant stock is in tip top condition and merchandised to a high standard.
- Liaise with the group Buyer on managing supplies, stocking and plant choices.
- Supervising staff and ensuring that customer services are kept to a very high standard.
The Candidate
- For this role candidates must have:
- A proven track-record in the industry along with good man-management and supervisory skills.
- Excellent plant knowledge and a good background in horticultural retailing is a must for this role.
- Superb plant merchandising skills.
- Be a team player with the ability to offer superb customer service.
To apply for this role click here
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Thieves ran over a shop worker as they escaped from a garden centre at speed. 
The woman was badly injured following the horrific incident at the Newbank Garden Centre off Bury Road, near Radcliffe, on Tuesday afternoon.
She had followed two women and a young girl to their BMW car and the driver reversed into her. The shop worker suffered a broken thigh and was taken to hospital. The trio had been in the garden centre just before 3.45pm. When they left the store, the shop's exit alarm sounded and one of the women stayed behind while the other accompanied the girl back to a BMW 218i car. Staff asked the woman inside the shop to look in her bag, and then asked to look inside a bag held by the child. As the shop assistant walked to the car, the two women and the child got into the BMW and the driver — believed to be one of the women — reversed it at her. The car then sped off – and police are now trying to trace it. Officers are investigating the possibility that the car was driven at the worker deliberately. CCTV footage from inside the store shows one of the women stealing Yankee Candles worth around £200. The centre's manager Andrew Corristine said he was alarmed by the incident and appealed for people who know those responsible to come forward. "We've had to deal with shoplifters before, but nothing like this. It's shocking," said Mr Corristine. He added: "Everyone is thinking of her and wishing her well. I'd appeal to anyone with information about this crime to call the police," Mr Corristine called 999 and paramedics arrived to treat the victim at the scene. She was taken to Royal Oldham Hospital suffering from a suspected broken thigh bone. The woman, who is in her 50s, has been allowed home, and must undergo further tests in the next few days to establish the extent of her injuries. A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "The two women are described as in their late 30s or early 40s and of slim build and were both wearing blue jeans and sandals. "One had dark hair and was wearing a grey long-sleeved shirt and the other had blonde hair with brunette highlights and was wearing a blue T-shirt." Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 with information.
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Carla Nash, who works at one of the UK’s leading commercial nurseries, has recently been announced as the Midland Regional Growers’ Apprentice of the Year.
Carla, who is 25-years-old and works at Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford, was presented with the award at Hampton Court on Thursday, July 7 by TV gardener and broadcaster, David Domoney.
Steve Reed, Container Division Director at Wyevale Nurseries, said: “During the past two years, Carla has proved to be an outstanding apprentice, all her college work has been completed on time and the feedback from assessors and nursery managers has been excellent.
“Carla is keen, enthusiastic and always takes time to look after the other, newer apprentices. She is always smiling and very positive. Well done Carla.”
The apprenticeship scheme, which Carla was part of, was a specifically designed National Apprenticeship Programme for the Midland Regional Growers in conjunction with Pershore College.
Carla has just completed her apprenticeship and has been offered the permanent position of Team Leader on the Moving Crew at Wyevale Nurseries.
Geoff Caesar, Managing Director of the Bransford Webbs Plant Company in Worcester, which is part of the Midland Regional Growers’ group, said: “The award is judged by the assessors and lecturing staff at Pershore College.
“Carla produced the most impressive college work and made excellent progress in her work based assessments. She is a popular member of staff at Wyevale Nurseries, who is supportive of less experienced apprentices.”
Carla was presented with a glass trophy and £100 of high street vouchers to spend.
Carla, who lives in Withington, said: “I was very shocked but happy to receive the award. It is lovely to have appreciation and recognition for two years of hard work. I’m now really excited to get stuck into my new role at Wyevale Nurseries.”
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Haddonstone, the UK’s leading manufacturer of fine garden ornaments and architectural stonework, has raised a record £2,000 for the National Garden Scheme Charity.
The company opened its acclaimed show gardens for the NGS Garden Openings from 2-3 July in conjunction with East Haddon Hall.
The opening witnessed a staggering number of visitors and has been the most successful opening to date. Haddonstone would like to say a sincere thank you to everyone involved including Scotts of Thrapston and all involved in East Haddon.
This is the tenth time in seven years the company has participated in the NGS Garden Openings raising money for various NGS charities including Macmillan, Marie Curie and Crossroads Care. It is a rare opportunity for visitors to have access to the private gardens at a weekend – normal opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am until 5.00pm (excluding public holidays and the Christmas period).
Guest exhibitors, Scotts of Thrapston, were also present at the opening featuring their Baltimore summerhouse used by the company at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016, where both Haddonstone and Scotts exhibit.
Haddonstone’s much admired show gardens are based at East Haddon, in the rolling countryside of Northamptonshire. Set across four acres, the gardens are divided into several garden rooms featuring many of Haddonstone’s designs in a beautiful setting.
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An emergency summit aiming to find an industry-led solution to the threat of vine weevil will take place on Tuesday 12th July.
The summit will look into the issues surrounding the vine weevil threat, and will go on to understand the various vine weevil controls available. BASF, the UK’s only producers of nematodes, will be an integral part of the discussion which will aim to produce concrete steps for the industry to take.
Rob Storer, Marketing and Value Chain Manager explained the importance of the summit, and the need for the industry as a whole to work together, “Biological pest control is possible at field scale, however it should be viewed as being part of a true IPM system” he said.
“Using biological products requires different thinking to conventional pesticides – a more holistic view needs to be considered and so wide IPM approaches developed”.
Also supporting the summit are the HTA, Bayer, ICL and Fargro.
Nematodes are tiny micro-organisms which occur naturally in the soil where they hunt down and attack pests, with each different nematode having their own specific prey species.
In addition to a Nemasys product formulated to deal with the vine weevils, there are also products designed to control slugs, leatherjackets, ants, and chafer grubs.
Vine weevils are the number one pest in ornamental crops.
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Brimsmore Gardens’ Bonsai Bash on Saturday 23 July will give gardeners of all ages the chance to delve a little deeper into the ancient Japanese art form of Bonsai.
The Bonsai Bash, which is free to attend, will start at 2pm sharp with an interactive talk from John Stuart of the Exeter Bonsai Society, and will be followed by a Bonsai surgery, where attendees can get tips and advice on successfully growing ornamental and artificially dwarfed trees and shrubs in pots at home.
Adam Wallis, manager at Brimsmore Gardens, explains; “We have noticed that Bonsai Trees have really gained in popularity in recent years, and we have some serious Bonsai enthusiasts in the team, who have helped increase our varieties in store. We are delighted to be welcoming an expert to the centre and I’m sure John will be able to give us a much deeper insight into the endless possibilities of these beautiful trees.”
Doors open at 1:30pm and Brimsmore Gardens will have an extended selection of Bonsai Trees on sale throughout the day.
Picture credit: John Stuart
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Exhibitor rebookings hit a High at Exclusively
With its highest number of exhibitor stand rebookings already in place by the time the Exclusively Shows closed last month, organisers Brooke House Exhibitions (BHE), were delighted with this year’s positive exhibitor response...
With its highest number of exhibitor stand rebookings already in place by the time the Exclusively Shows closed last month, organisers Brooke House Exhibitions (BHE), were delighted with this year’s positive exhibitor response.
Show director Simon Boyd says, “Exhibitors have been very pleased with who they’ve seen and talked to at the Shows this year. Many have also got involved with our new ‘On Trend’ initiatives, which, as we hoped, have helped to open up new conversations across the sector”.
The ‘On Trend’ initiative, sponsored by the British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) manifested at the show as free guided Trend Tours for visitors, an ‘On Trend’ display area, including ideas for Christmas merchandising, and ‘On Trend’ logos and signage for exhibitors with relevant products to display.
BHE chairman and BHETA housewares director Will Jones commented, “The feedback that I have received so far from exhibitors has been generally positive and it is pleasing to note that a number of meetings took place as a direct result of buyers’ interest in products highlighted by the ‘On Trend’ initiatives and our international visitor focus.”
The two sister shows, Exclusively Housewares with 120 exhibitors and Exclusively Electrical with its 24 specialist small kitchen and domestic appliance exhibitors continue to attract the industry’s major buyers and retailers.
Housewares and electrical buyers from the department store chains, grocers, hardware stores and major high street retailers were well-represented with John Lewis, Morrisons, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Robert Dyas, Tesco, Argos, HomeSense, Aldi, Fenwicks, Costco, Lakeland, Dunelm, Steamer Trading, Sainsburys, TJX Europe, Wilko, Asda, Home Hardware and Marks & Spencer all in attendance.
In addition, leading online and TV retailers Wayfair, Ideal Shopping, QVC, Ocado, Groupon, Scotts of Stow, Coopers of Stortford and Amazon all attended.
Following collaboration with the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) this year there were also a good number of garden centre buyers at the Shows including Scotsdale Nursery & Garden Centre, Alton Garden Centre, Millbrook Garden Company, Wyevale Garden Centres, Hillview Garden Centres, Frosts, Bents Garden & Home, Otter Nurseries and Blue Diamond. This is a market sector the Shows will continue to target.
On the independent retailer’s front, well-established names such as FTB Lawson, Oldrids, Upstairs Downstairs, Rossiters of Bath, Kitchen Kapers, Dinghams, Colanders, Kitchenmonger, Barnitts, Hart & Sons, Marchmont Hardware, Hoopers, Trevor Mottram were in attendance. However, the Shows noted a downturn in the number of cookshops and smaller independent stores attending this year.
“The decline in independent numbers reflects the current challenges faced by the market; what was encouraging is that those independents who recognise the need to adapt their offer were very much in attendance,” says Will Jones.
Now in its second year Exclusively Electrical has built up the number of the electrical buyers who now attend the Shows alongside their housewares and dining buyer colleagues and attracted the larger electrical specialists such as Appliances Online, Dixon Stores Group, Appliance City, Euronics, Shop Direct and key independents like Avensys and Fairway Electrical.
“We will continue to work closely with buying groups such as Sirius and the Retra trade association, to spread the word about this specialist part of the Exclusively offer” says Simon Boyd.
“We know that the electrical buyers from our established visitors are attending the show but we want to extend the reach of Exclusively Electrical further to reach electrical specialists too – even if they don’t sell SDA/SKA yet! Exclusively Electrical is the perfect place to review what’s available and work with the major brands.”
International retailers this year included El Corte Ingles, Monoprix, Briscapo, Westwing and Gadgets Cuina – just part of the Shows’ international buyers programme, which targets 20-30 key companies selected by exhibitors to invite every year. In addition, buyers from Denmark, Lithuania, Norway, Spain, Greece, France, Italy, Estonia and Germany also made their own way to the UK to attend.
“As specialist shows, our visitor database, like our exhibitor line-up reflects the industry and its current state quite closely,” says Simon. “It is important to us that we assist our exhibitors by providing access and introductions to all the channels to market – which includes searching out the new as well as maintaining links with established retailers.
“Following its positive reception this year, we will also continue to develop and feed in ‘On Trend’ information to our exhibitors during the year so that they can incorporate it into their new product development and presentation to retailers.”
The 2017 Shows will run on Tuesday, June 13 and Wednesday, June 14 at the Business Design Centre, London.
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The July issue of Garden Trade News is packed full of advice and information for garden retailing professionals.
- The story behind the sale of Dobbies.
- GIMA Charity Golf Day report and pictures.
- Smell the coffee - how to make your drinks offering work.
- It's time for tea - great afternoon tea tips.
- MasterChef - advice from the Greatest Garden Centre Chef team.
- Service with a smile - great customer service.
- Are you ready for Glee?
To find out how you can receive your copy of Garden Trade News every month email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk
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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 £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
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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.
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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.
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