In This Issue
James Barnes to step down as chairman of HTA
British Garden Centres wins Gold medal for Greenfingers Charity garden at Harrogate Spring Flower Show
Sad news of the passing of Peter Cox, founder of Glendoick Garden Centre
Stuart Lowen's Floral Farewell, The War for Talent, RHS Licensed Products and more in GTN's April issue, read on-line here
GIMA Buyers Guide & New Product Digest Spring 2025 - A valuable source of reference for the UK Garden Trade
Altico’s Aggregates give retailers bags more value
Sipcam Home & Garden join peat-free initiative
Introducing Formbar’s New Garden Centre Community!
Doosan G205C - S Forklift for Sale
David Domoney and This Morning: Putting Front Gardens Back in Bloom
GARDENA sponsors Alan Titchmarsh’s new YouTube channel to educate and inspire new audiences
Tong Garden Centre adds fresh fish to its retail offering
Sunshine and sales: Garden centres bloom in March - HTA Market Update
Dobbies launches heritage collection to celebrate 160 years
Deco-Pak: leading the way with innovation, sustainability, and unmatched supply capabilities
Create a Buzz: Host a Garden Pollinator Party
Hedgehog Awareness Week 4th – 10th May!
EGO proves it’s a cut above with bold new products
Frank P Matthews Trees to Debut at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, showcasing the Beauty of Blossom with a single Genus - Malus
Garden Sundries Department Supervisor – Full-time, permanent
Get your copy of GTN Xtra
Sinclair appoints new Technical Area Sales Manager for North West
Cadix (UK) Limited closes its doors after 26 years
The best of last week's
Blue Diamond Huntingdon opens after £2m refit and takes £204k in first 4 days
British Garden Centres acquires Hayes Garden World, their 73rd BGC centre
TV & radio personality Nicki Chapman opens BGC's 72nd centre at Northampton
Dobbies’ Buyer returns to RHS Chelsea Flower Show as Chair of Assessors
Westland Horticulture expands with strategic acquisition of leading bird food company
Family-run garden centre and nursery for sale
GARDENA’s game-changing Dual Hose Box with one-handed removal and free connection hose
Grand opening celebrations a huge success at The Old Railway Line Garden Centre
Make Durstons your trusted, go-to compost partner this season
Situations Vacant
Garden Sundries Department Supervisor – Full-time, permanent
Baytree, Weston, near Spalding
 
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Email trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 07973 504214

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Blue Diamond Huntingdon opens after £2m refit and takes £204k in first 4 days

Blue Diamond MD, Alan Roper, along with the Easter Bunny welcomed hundreds of queuing customers at the opening of Huntingdon Garden & Home last week.  The store, previously part of the Garden & Leisure group and then Wyevale, had been closed by Dobbies at the end of 2024 as part of their restructuring plan. Alan Roper told GTN Xtra: "Huntingdon (ex VAT) took £206k in 4 days, Thursday to Sunday."

 

The Huntingdon opening follows the opening of Harlestone Heath last month which took £250k in its first week and £204k last week.

 

A notable welcome return for customers at Huntingdon was the Walter Smith butchers counter, reported by Alan Roper as taking £1m per year when the centre itself was taking less than £3m per year. Alongside that is now a vibrant fruit and veg offering supplied by "Tommy" who also provides fruit and veg to Great Amwell, Frosts and Beckworth Blue Diamond centres

 

Customers will have to wait until Phase two of the re-opening in Autumn 2025 for the fashion department and some new in-store concessions.

 

Blue Diamond’s re-fit team is now focused on World’s End with a first phase re-opening planned for early May.

 

See our phopto tour of the centre below:

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Blue Diamond Huntingdon Opening GTN100425 001.jpg
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