After last nights statement from the Prime Minister Dobbies garden centres have decided to stay open, citing that 70% of their turnover represents essential goods according to government guidance.
So far GTN Xtra has not found any other garden centres that have opened for business today, apart from those only offering local delivery services from phoned in orders.
Normally we would have popped out to Dobbies Peterborough to take some photos of how the Dobbies team are managing the social distancing etc, but as we are on lockdown too we decided that would count as non essential travel.
We've asked Dobbies for a comment but as we publish this update we've not heard back yet. Watch this space.
Some of our garden centre customers have been providing a vital service to their local communities over the past two weeks delivering food to the elderly and infirm, so if Dobbies are planning on doing that, then full marks to them! One garden centre we supply in Leicstershire is the only large food shop for miles around and urounded by villages with a high average age
Doug Stewart
This is wrong
It is wrong as it is clearly not following government advice
It is wrong as they are twisting things to their own advantage
It is an insult to the horticultural industry
It is an insult to small family run garden centres up and down the land
#boycottDobbies
Adrian Goodall
Essential goods "my a**e. if they were not in such debt from their purchases from Wyevale they would be following what every decent local garden centre is doing and donating all of their food which is in date
A complete joke. We have closed our operation and donated all of our perishable goods to local food banks, care homes, and schools who are supporting looked after staff welfare and done what ever we can to support the local community I am so sorry that Dobbies are trying to con the general public and actually endanger lives for a few pounds in their pockets. Do the right thing, protect your staff and customers and close tomorrow, donate the goods that will go out of date to worth while causes and get some worthwhile positive PR. From an independent who is proud of supporting and protecting their staff and local community
Ken Cox
I would not mind so much if their statement was not clearly a lie. They published their breakdown earlier in the year... 34% gardening, 24% concessions... etc and the cafes are at least 25% of turnover. So they cannot possibly claim that 70% of their turnover represents 'essential goods'. The Social media is 90% anti this decision. I wonder if they'll change their mind. I dont think it is fair on their staff to put themselves at risk in clearly non essential retail and I expect our customers will start asking why we are not open if Dobbies are.
Oliver Queen
Clearly not essential and clearly the rest of this fantatsic industry has more ethics than Dobbies.
When did 70% of their sales ever come from these products... plants, compost, fertilisers, other garden products, Christmas and the restaurants only come to 30%, I don't think so.
It is wrong as it is clearly not following government advice
It is wrong as they are twisting things to their own advantage
It is an insult to the horticultural industry
It is an insult to small family run garden centres up and down the land
#boycottDobbies
A complete joke. We have closed our operation and donated all of our perishable goods to local food banks, care homes, and schools who are supporting looked after staff welfare and done what ever we can to support the local community I am so sorry that Dobbies are trying to con the general public and actually endanger lives for a few pounds in their pockets. Do the right thing, protect your staff and customers and close tomorrow, donate the goods that will go out of date to worth while causes and get some worthwhile positive PR. From an independent who is proud of supporting and protecting their staff and local community
When did 70% of their sales ever come from these products... plants, compost, fertilisers, other garden products, Christmas and the restaurants only come to 30%, I don't think so.