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Orderly queues form as garden centres in England re-open
This was the scene at British Garden Centres Osterley garden centre just before 9:00am on Wednesday morning.
Send us your pics and videos of your re-opening experience, thanks to the team at Downtown Garden Centre (below), and we'll publish as many as we can in GTN Xtra at the weekend...
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Making garden centres friendly, safe and accessible again
GTN Xtra promotion
Some garden centres have already taken massive steps to reopen safely. Many in the garden industry, and in retail at large, will be keenly watching and evaluating what works and how customers respond. No doubt over the coming weeks there will be refinements and many improvements as it becomes clear things will stay ‘different’ for a long time.
Green Magic Co (Sign-Holders.co.uk) has been beavering away during lockdown to discover, devise and deliver new solutions...
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Green light for garden centres to re-open on Wednesday in England - UPDATED - Comment from James Barnes at HTA and Alan Titchmarsh MBE
A green light has been given for garden centres in England to re-open on Wednesday May 13th. In new "Staying alert and safe (social distancing)" guidance, published this afternoon by the Cabinet Office it says "Food retailers and food markets, hardware stores, garden centres (from Wednesday 13 May) and certain other retailers can remain open...
Read comment from HTA and Alan Titchmarsh MBE
Dobbies’ Swansea reopened
Dobbies Garden Centres reopened its Swansea store this morning, Monday 11 May.
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Wales - Monday, England - Wednesday or June 1st?, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
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All of the lobbying and media activity about garden centres re-opening appeared to be bearing fruit with the Welsh Government announcing garden centres in the province could open from Monday and plenty of media comment on Sunday that garden centres in England would be able to open from Wednesday 13th May. However, the omission of any mention of garden centre's re-opening in the Prime Ministers address on Sunday evening leaves possible doubts as to when re-opening will be possible in England.
The only mention of shops re-opening in the address came as part of step two "– at the earliest by June 1 – after half term – we believe we may be in a position to begin the phased reopening of shops and to get primary pupils back into schools, in stages, beginning with reception, Year 1 and Year 6."
Boris Johnson said he would be "setting out more details in Parliament on Monday afternoon and taking questions from the public in the evening" so we will have to wait for a few more hours...
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St Peters staff in tears after council serves Prohibition Notice
After receiving hundreds of plaudits from customers staff at St Peters Garden Centre in Worcester were left in tears after Wychavon District Council served a Prohibition Notice on the business following the re-opening of their food hall and pet departments...
Read more and watch the St Peters Social Distancing measures video
Getting ready for business - feedback from Coolings, Planters, The Gardens Group, Blue Diamond, Green Pastures, Fron Goch and more
Last week we asked garden centres what their plans were for getting back to business with particular reference to policies for staff safety, and we also asked for feedback on how they would welcome reps calling on them when they re-open...
“We had a work party on a couple of evenings and then all (unfurloughed) staff came in on Saturday to help with the last push in re-organising. They then posed as customers and we tested the one way systems and the till are to see how our modifications worked..."
"We will need all the help we can get! If I can till train a rep then we would do that too!..”
"We accept that restaurants will be amongst the last to open and we accept that come the end of June our catering team is facing redundancy..."
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GrowNation Secures Free Social Distancing Help and Advice for Garden Centres
GrowNation (grownation.co.uk), today announces free professional advice on social distancing and safe operation to garden centres across the UK...
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It was a Red, White and Blue #FloralFriday
#FloralFriday (May 8th) saw thousands of friends come together in the sunshine to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of VE Day...
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Reopening your retail store: Step two – sanitation & portable hand washing/sanitisation stations
Advice from Cleaner Retail – a new one-stop-shop designed to assist in creating a sanitised environment for safer shopping and a clean retail experience for the consumer...
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RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year to be judged during Virtual RHS Chelsea
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), has announced it will host the prestigious RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year Competition and a special People’s Choice vote for RHS Chelsea Plant of the Decade during its first ever virtual show, taking place from 18-23 May...
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Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox...
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GTN Xtra - Send to all
If you want to keep your staff up to date with what's happening in the industry during the lockdown how about adding a link to the GTN Xtra weekly e-mail newsletter into your staff communications...
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The best of last week's
If you missed last week's GTN Xtra, below are the most-read stories...
We need centres re-opened, says Sun legend Peter Seabrook
Last week as questions were asked in parliament about the re-opening of garden centres The Sun newspaper published an article by Peter Seabrook alongside it's comment column on pages 12 and 13. In the article Peter writes of his love of gardening and his personal loss following the death of his wife Margaret.
"No one knows better than me what blessed relief it is to be out in the garden.... So please fling the gates to the garden centres open, Boris, and save the horticultural industry. As I till the soil and grieve for Margaret, I know exactly how therapeutic gardening can be."
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Tricia Cox co-founder of Glendoick Garden Centre dies
Tricia Cox (née Sherrard), founder/owner of Glendoick Garden Centre with her husband Peter Cox, died peacefully at Glendoick on 2nd May 2020...
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Safe Trading Guidance for all garden centres published by HTA
The HTA have launched the HTA Safe Trading Guidance for all garden centres. This is to allow garden centres to prepare and implement when the Government gives the go-ahead for stores to reopen...
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Reopening your retail store: Step one - signage & screening
Advice from Cleaner Retail – a new one-stop-shop designed to assist in creating a sanitised environment for safer shopping and a clean retail experience for the consumer...
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James Stamp to the rescue
GTN Xtra promotion
If you are looking at adding extra facilities to keep your staff and customers safe when business are allowed to re-open, James Stamp Rental has the solution...
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Record Number of Suppliers and Garden Centres Spread a little Floral Cheer on #FloralFriday
May Day saw a record number of leading garden centres and suppliers get involved in #FloralFriday, a Greenfingers Charity initiative to help keep the charity and the horticultural industry in the hearts and minds of garden lovers across the country...
Read more and see GTN Xtras photo gallery from the fifth #floralfriday
Garden Centre Photo Tours
If you've missed one of our popular photo tours of garden centres then click on the links below:
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
Haskins Garden Centre in Snowhill, Crawley, has opened its doors to customers following a 12-month refurbishment costing £15m...
Read more and see GTN Xtras photo tour of the new centre
Pets Corner in garden centres re-opened
n advance of the full re-opening of garden centres, Pets Corner has re-opened some of their garden centre based stores...
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Dobbies’ podcast explores gardening for beginners
Dobbies Garden Centres, explores gardening for beginners in the second instalment from its podcast series...
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GrassSaver Soft Chews for dogs will help gardeners keep their lawns in pristine condition
Overby Farm’s GrassSeaver Soft Chews from All About Pet Health, provide a safe, natural and practical solution to yellow spots on the lawn caused from a dog’s urine...
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