With just weeks to go until the Glee Roadshow arrives in the East, the team behind the event has revealed further details about what attendees can expect from the day’s carefully curated agenda.

Far from a traditional conference, the Roadshow has been designed as a structured, working day for garden retailers – one that reflects the pressures, priorities and opportunities shaping the sector right now, while creating space for honest discussion and practical problem-solving.

A working agenda for today’s garden retail

The day begins with arrival, tea and coffee, setting an informal tone and allowing retailers to reconnect, share immediate challenges, and step away from day-to-day trading before the core programme gets underway.

The opening session brings everyone together for a sector-wide discussion, led by Matthew Mein and Boyd Douglas-Davies.  Focusing on the current state of garden retail, it tackles everything from shifting consumer expectations and footfall to staffing, margin and operational pressures. Crucially, this is a moderated discussion shaped by the experiences of those in the room.

Learning from real retail success

From here, the agenda will move into more focused sessions, starting with Growing a Modern Family Business: The Gates Story. In this conversation, Nigel Gates (Chairman – Gates Garden Centre) shares how a fourth-generation business continues to evolve, whilst offering practical insight into expansion, ecommerce, experiential retail and diversification.

Tackling the people challenge

Attention will then turn to one of the sector’s biggest challenges – people. In Solving the People Puzzle: Recruitment, Retention and Culture, Boyd Douglas-Davies is joined by MorePeople’s Guy Moreton to explore what is really working when it comes to attracting and retaining talent, with audience input helping to shape the discussion.

A dedicated networking lunch will provide time to continue conversations and contribute to a live Slido discussion on the biggest challenges facing businesses in the year ahead – helping to shape the afternoon sessions.

Turning insight into opportunity

Post-lunch the focus will then shift towards opportunity and growth. In Experience, Transformation and Diversification: Real Growth in Garden Retail, panellists including Michael Smith from Meadow Croft Garden Centre, Samantha Gibbs from Nest & Retail Mentor, and British garden Centre’s Amy Stubbs to explore how centres are evolving. From enhancing customer experience to unlocking new revenue streams through food, events and partnerships, and rethinking how space is used to drive dwell time, spend and repeat visits.

Big impact, whatever the footprint

The final session, Small Footprint, Big Impact: Retail Excellence at Fakenham Garden Centre, sees Martin and Jennie Turner join GTN’s Trevor Pfeiffer to share how they’ve built a high-performing, award-winning business on a compact site to prove that scale is no barrier to success.

The day will then conclude with closing reflections, bringing together key insights and ensuring attendees leave with clear, actionable takeaways, followed by further networking to strengthen regional connections.

Matthew Mein, Event Director of Glee and Autumn Fair, said: “What we’ve created with the Roadshow is a genuinely useful working day for retailers. It starts with an honest look at where the sector is right now, and then moves quickly into how businesses can respond.

The value comes from the room as much as the agenda – bringing people together to share experiences, challenge thinking and leave with ideas they can put into practice straight away.”

How to join the Glee Roadshow

When: Thursday 30th April, 11am–4pm

Where: Gates Garden Centre, Oakham

The Roadshow is designed for garden centre and garden retail managers, executives, directors and senior buyers from the immediate region and neighbouring counties.

Heading to the east for the very first time the Glee Roadshow will dig into the challenges, opportunities and trends shaping garden retail right now, both regionally and nationally.

Attendance is free, but spaces are limited. To register your interest and stay up to date visit www.gleebirmingham.com/roadshow