Managing director of Ferndale Garden Centre in Coal Aston, Sheffield’s Neil Grant was glad he had broken into a family holiday in Wales to join hundreds of business people from around the UK at a glittering awards ceremony in London for the Guardian Small Business Awards, when he was named Leader of the Year.

Neil had been shortlisted to the final three UK business leaders in the Guardian Small Business Showcase Awards 2015 from among over a thousand nominations, by judges including former ‘Dragon’ James Caan. There were seven hotly-contested categories with three finalists in each.

The annual awards hosted by TV presenter and author Rick Edwards, recognise innovation and best practice across the small business sector and the leader award was given to the inspirational entrepreneur who gained the most public votes. 

"I am both delighted and shell-shocked to have won the Guardian Small Business leadership award as the calibre and standards of all the shortlisted in all categories was extremely high.

"There were many IT businesses and business people shortlisted. I had to remind myself that although Ferndale is a relatively low tech business, it touched many of the types of people present who told me they associate garden centres with their leisure time when they aren't at their work place. We are increasingly learning the importance of gardening as a relaxing, healthy pastime that actually helps people apart from being fun. 

"Our industry has had to wake up to the fact that although 'gardening' may be dwindling, gardens are more popular than ever as an extension to the home. This makes garden centre retailing the most challenging it's ever been. The media professionals I spoke to were surprised to hear the size of the industry and the impact on employment we bring for the UK.”

Running a small business has to be fun, so hatching new ideas that inspire me, our team and our customers is essential. The saying ‘If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got’ is simply no longer true in today's fast moving business world where there is constant distraction for consumers. It is more likely that, ‘If you do what you've always done, you'll always get less than you had before.’

The Guardian judges particularly commended Neil’s commitment to creating the country’s first National Children’s Gardening Week this year and securing backing from the industry and media. Back at Ferndale, bought by family members in 1982, Neil came up with the concept of an undercover real beach for the summer with creative, traditional beach food in lunchboxes and a series of children’s campaigns related to national awareness events such as vegetable and allotment week and nest box week. Children’s events are offered, such as how to grow your own name, the tallest sunflower and the longest trailing petunia or make a miniature garden.

Neil has also led the extension of the garden centre’s coffee shop- this year’s Star café of the year- to create a seating space for 200 people. It was refurbished with an eclectic mix of quirky accessories, such as recycled furniture, church chairs and a log burner. The investment has paid off, with the coffee shop achieving growth of over 30%.

The national government Growth Accelerator programme has helped focus Neil’s ideas and support growth. In the pipeline are mini wooden chalets that could be rented out by local businesses, and the centre’s own television station, airing gardening tips that customers can view via Bluetooth on their mobiles as they sip a latte in the cafe.

Faye Smith, owner of Keep Your Fork marketing, who nominated her client for the category, says that Grant’s business acumen and innovation have enabled the business to remain resilient when it’s been hit by the poor weather.

The Guardian judges concluded: “Having seen sales shoot up by 46% in the past five years, Ferndale Garden Centre is clearly reaping the rewards of Grant’s entrepreneurial vision."