In This Issue
Garden Re-Leaf Day kicks off the season
Boyd goes 240 miles for Garden Re-Leaf
Garden Re-Leaf Day Fun, Games and Painting
Danny Adamson steps down as Manging Director of William Sinclair Retail Division
CC dismiss fears over Danish trolley shortage
Public support for Tesco/Dobbies joint development in East Kilbride
New Gardman management team appointed to drive growth
The next three weeks are critical for sales
Top buying group to recruit new members
New GIMA Council members announced at annual meeting
Start connecting with the older people of tomorrow - Will Armitage
Homebase is obsessed with gathering data on gardening customers
Glee New Products Showcase open for entries
First ever PVC double-glazed greenhouse launched by Nordic
Garden centre boss resigns after being jailed for 18 months
Activity in the garden leads to sales in centres
Fakenham Garden Centre undergoes £100,000 cafe refurbishment
Darlington garden centre gets go-ahead to expand cafe capacity
Christies of Fochabers on family business awards shortlist
Veg plug plants selling well
New Customer Services Manager for Smart Solar
Compost sales continue to grow
UK team expansion for Bolsius
Bosmere distribute award-winning BioStretch
Hilliers and RHS collaborate on new edition of 'the bible'
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
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Garden centre boss resigns after being jailed for 18 months
 
Derek Henderson, left, and Tom Hayes at Carlisle Crown Court
Derek Henderson, left, and Tom Hayes at Carlisle Crown Court

The boss of Ambleside’s Hayes Garden World has resigned after being jailed for lying to police and the courts.

A shadow was cast over the future of the family-run business when managing director Thomas Richard Hayes was imprisoned for 18 months at Carlisle Crown Court earlier this week.

It took just 30 minutes for a jury to find him guilty of perverting the course of justice after lying about who was driving a car which crashed in November, 2010.

His barrister Lisa Judge said jailing Hayes could lead to the closure of the business.

“The implications are massive not just to his wife and child. This is about the potential demise of a business,” she said.

But Hayes’s mother Elizabeth, who is the majority shareholder at the Lake Road business, dispelled the claim.

She told The Westmorland Gazette: “While this has been a difficult time for us, we want to assure customers and the community we are committed to driving Hayes Garden World forward through a strong management team that has the full support of myself as majority share-holder.”

She said: “Hayes Garden World is a family business that has a strong heritage in Cumbria spanning over 200 years and we place great importance on our standing.”

Before sentencing on Monday, Ms Judge told the court: “There is potential for collapse, leading to mass unemployment and an impact on the local community.

“There are a lot of people who rely on a man who cares deeply about maintaining employment in his local area.” Hayes, 46, of Crook Road, near Kendal, was found guilty following a six day trial.

The trial arose after questions were raised over who was driving a luxury Porsche Cayenne when it narrowly avoided a head-on collision and flipped on Hollins Lane, Burneside on November 21, 2010.

The court heard that Hayes used his ‘power and influence’ to collude with Henderson to spin the web of lies in an attempt to avoid the consequences.

The pair remained silent as judge Michael Hayton QC also sentenced Henderson to one year in jail.

Katie Nicolson, senior prosecutor for CPS North West, said afterwards: “A jury has seen through their lies.”

Prosecutor Brendan Burke told the court: “Fearing the consequences of prison or a ban, Hayes used his position of power and influence, whether with money or the threat of less work, to force Henderson to say he was driving.”

Hayes was previously convicted of getting behind the wheel while nearly four times the drink drive limit. He was jailed for 18 weeks after an appeal was rejected.

Both men stood accused of lying between November 2010 and July 25, 2012, including during police interviews and three court appearances.

Henderson, a contractor who had worked at the garden centre, told police he was driving – but he made no mention of the near miss with oncoming motorist Terrance Willan.

 

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