Notcutts has seen strong growth in like-for-like sales and operating profit during 2025/26. Annual turnover at £86.9m was up £6.3m (+7.9%) on the previous year. Gross margin % increased from 52.2% in the prior year to 52.5%. Carbon emissions reduced in the year to bring Notcutts annual intensity ratio down by 15.3% to 25.15tCO2e per £m of revenue. Customer satisfaction, measured through NPS (Net Promoter Score) was at a high of 71 in the year. A number of exciting development projects were also completed as Notcutts continued to invest in their Garden Centre portfolio.
Commenting on these results, Nick Burrows CEO said “We saw encouraging sales and profit growth in a year which proved to be one of both opportunity and challenge for the business. The backdrop of global geopolitical instability remained in 2025 but falling interest rates, a favourable spring weather pattern and strong affinity from customers for our attractive gardening, retail, leisure and hospitality proposition supported good trading during the year. Additional employment costs, which resulted from central government policies, together with ongoing supply cost pressures presented continuing challenges. An organisational restructure, and the introduction of efficiencies linked to new IT systems, were implemented to mitigate the impact of these cost pressures, as we continue to evolve our sustainable business model.”
Burrows added “We were delighted to see another year of improvement in our customer satisfaction measure with our NPS score of 71. Delivering brilliant customer experiences is a fundamental cornerstone in our business which has been embraced wholeheartedly in our garden centre and support office teams. Our annual colleague survey again confirmed customer focus as being a well understood top priority with colleagues at all levels in our business.”
On environmental sustainability goals, Burrows said “We were equally encouraged to see the reduction in our carbon emissions for another year following a suite of energy saving projects and campaigns across the business. Our Sustainability Council – with members from across the business plays a pivotal part in maintaining our momentum in this area”
Caroline Notcutt, Vice Chairman highlighted the completion of the Woodbridge Garden Centre redevelopment as a source of great pride for her and the Notcutt family during the year “We’ve now completed the final phase of a total redevelopment of Notcutts’ first garden centre which originally opened in 1958. Phase one saw the creation of a new restaurant; phase two introduced a new planteria canopy with rainwater harvesting and now phase three has completed the picture. This has seen the complete refurbishment and extension of our indoor trading areas and exhibition spaces. The light, airy, modern interior brings a wonderful new environment for customers to enjoy when choosing from houseplants to furniture, from gifts to clothes, and from garden accessories to plant care ranges.”
“I was also delighted to see other investment projects completed during the year”, said Caroline Notcutt. “These included the freehold purchase of our Wheatcroft Garden Centre in Nottingham, the addition of two further solar installations in Oxford and Ditchling (Garden Pride), and the development of a secondary cafeteria in the recently restored Messenger Glasshouse at our Dukeries Garden Centre near Worksop.”
Caroline Notcutt reflected on the importance the family place on being an integral part of the communities in which the company operates “Our garden centres and support office work closely with their local communities supporting various charities and schools. We partner with The Green Light Trust, a charity whose mission is to ensure everyone has equitable access to the power of nature. They support people of all ages who are often the most vulnerable in our communities through organised outdoor activities in woodlands and green spaces. Delivering real social impact in the communities where our garden centres and support office are located is very important to us.”
Bridget McIntyre, Chairman stressed the importance that Notcutts places on building a positive, engaging culture in which colleagues can succeed and enjoy their roles. “Engagement with colleagues, at all levels within the business, is considered a high priority and is achieved through a variety of means. These include surveys, business involvement groups, meetings and conferences, newsletters and regular visits by senior leaders to garden centres. Colleague groups have participated in strategy development workshops and contribute to forums on Health and Safety, Sustainability, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Senior Managers join monthly Executive Team meetings to contribute ideas and suggestions on subjects such as customer experience excellence, category strategies, development projects, health and safety and initiatives related to ESG.”
Recognition of colleagues’ achievements is very important, said McIntyre “A programme of monthly and annual awards allows us to recognise and celebrate the achievements of colleagues, and these are featured in our regular Cuttings colleague newsletters. Our annual bonus scheme includes every colleague at all levels in the business and is designed to reward and incentivise the achievement of commercial and customer satisfaction goals”
“We have continued to expand our range of online training and development resources which supplement in person training and coaching” McIntyre continued “These are fundamental to our committed approach to personal and skills development for colleagues. Our focus on leadership development and succession planning is strong. We have many talented colleagues in our midst, and
we have developed a range of programmes which support their development as leaders in our business.
“I’m very proud that so many of our Garden Centre Managers and senior leaders have been promoted from within. More than half of our current Executive Director team have come through our internal succession route” added McIntyre.
Looking to the future, Nick Burrows, CEO said “We plan to maintain our focus on developing our Garden Centre portfolio in order to support the ongoing profitability of the business. Future developments will include large scale projects in Maidstone, St Albans, Solihull, Tunbridge Wells and Dukeries. In the 2026/27 year new investments are also planned in renewable energy including solar
installations in St Albans, Solihull and Widnes as part of our continuing programme of initiatives to support carbon reduction goals.”
