In This Issue
Kaemingk to open UK showroom
Spring Fair to be replaced by "Spring Fair @Home" on the Spring Fair website
Retail Equipment Limited acquire Greenkey Garden & Home
British Garden Centres open their 58th centre at Thatcham
Core gardening keeps sales ahead of last year
Garden centres in England and Scotland can stay open - now is the time to review Covid-19 safety
Industry committed to better collaboration on peat use
33% up – growing preparations for next year
HTA 'Keep Britain Blooming’ campaign wins national award
More plants sold in October already than last year
Hard landscaping sales to rise, according to GCA report
Indoor planting for a harmonious, calming aesthetic
Westland rolls out innovative new hosepipe technology
Darlac introduces new tools for 2021
Frank P Matthews growing ‘Orchards for Schools’
How retailers can capture a new generation of poinsettia customers this festive season
Internet garden market set to achieve 25% growth
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Pots continue to dominate garden product sales
Dobbies raises funds for Stroke Association
Christmas sales continues to grow
Plant Healthy E-learning modules launched
AIPH approves Euroflora 2021 in Genova
Garden Connect renews EFSA website
OHAS Grower Standard Version 4 launches
The best of last week's
Monty Don makes headlines slamming garden centres
HTA calls on Welsh government to review ‘non-essential retail’ ruling on garden centres
October gardening hits record levels
Dobbies launches new format store in Scotland’s capital
Steve Harper joins Southern Trident
Fordingbridge looks to expand polytunnel arm of business
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
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All the latest news from the world of pet products
Start-up firm Sniffe & Likkit shakes up petcare category
Armitage Pet Care sold to US firm
Pet start-ups set to grow after securing investment
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HTA calls on Welsh government to review ‘non-essential retail’ ruling on garden centres
 

The HTA has written to Ken Skates, the Welsh Government’s Economy Minister, expressing its great disappointment at the decision to classify garden centres as ‘non-essential retail’, which forced them to close on Friday.

 

James Barnes, Chairman of the HTA, has requested a meeting to review the definition of ‘non-essential’  in order to safeguard garden centres' ability to trade in future – as the Government’s own scientific advisors have suggested a different interpretation of what businesses needed to close. He’s also asked for urgent clarification on the operation of farm shops/food halls in garden centres and click and collect services.

 

“Back in May, Wales was the first UK administration to take the decision to reopen garden centres and we expected this to be a sign of support for the industry. With no evidence to show why garden centres should be closed, we were crushed to see them included yet again as ‘non-essential retail’ for this Friday’s lockdown. We are asking for the current list of ‘essential’ v ‘non-essential’ retail list to be urgently reviewed,” he said.

 

With the Welsh government’s own scientific (TAC) group advising late May as the definition of ‘non-essential’ and other places in the UK establishing June 2020 reopening as the definition, the HTA argues this is a pragmatic approach to reducing social interaction, while minimising negative economic impact. 

 

The letter calls for such a review to recognise the ease with which garden centres can provide safe and secure retail environments, with their naturally large, open and airy infrastructures providing a perfect starting point for socially distanced trading; the important role gardening plays in promoting health and wellbeing and offering a safe and positive activity to do while at home and the damage closure will do to a sector still recovering from lockdown.

 

Many Welsh garden centres, particularly in rural areas, provide essential food items such as fresh produce, bread and milk and the HTA says such stores should be able to continue trading as a community store, as a small supermarket would. Garden centre ‘Click and collect’ services were run during the previous lockdown and the HTA has urged the Welsh Government to accept this approach now saying it is a safe way to ensure people can continue to garden during lockdown and to help reduce the significant loss of sales garden centres will face.

 

Emergency funding based on rateable value will not help many garden centres, says the HTA, because the necessarily large size of their premises pushes them above the values stated for qualification despite the fact they are classed as small or medium in most other categories. 

 

“I’m concerned that many small and medium garden centres won’t have access to funding to cover losses incurred,” said James Barnes.

 

“Even for those businesses that can access funding it is likely to be well below the costs that will be concurred by the two-week lockdown. Small and medium-sized members have told us they estimate they will lose between £160,000-£170,000 over the two weeks – impacting their ability to recover and grow, potentially threatening jobs.”

 

Several Welsh garden centres told GTN Xtra how they were planning to operate during the 17 day long Firebreak:

 

Justin Williams at Fron Goch in North Wales said: "We're very frustrated. I thought we were through this level of uncertainty.

 

"My understanding is that click and collect is not permitted in Wales this time . But after last time I feel we are better closing, manning phones, socially media and spend our efforts preparing for very high levels of trade once open. 

 

"Christmas shopping is experience shopping and this year we have very little competition with people avoiding city centres including Liverpool and Manchester. 

 

"We have plenty to do with our development nearing completion. I am still hopeful this can end well, if we have an uninterrupted run up to Christmas."

 

At Pughs in South Wales, Nicola Pugh reported: "Our online shop and deliveries have continued since setting up at the beginning of the first lock down so this will be our main channel of sales for the next 17 days and we endeavour to keep adding products daily as we have been for a while.

 

"Our Food Hall will remain open and support the local communities again with essentials. With it being a two week lock down, we are not going to put too much pressure on ourselves and just ride the wave and do what we can for the next few weeks."

 

Martin Davies at Ragan Garden Centre added: "For garden centres it is in fact 16 days as we closed yesterday evening 30 minutes before the 6pm curfew. In the absence of any confirmation as to what we can and cannot do, we have decided to continue our 5 day a week delivery service locally and for those workers who are allowed to be out and about a call in and collect facility is available."

 

Please use the comments panel below or e-mail trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk with your comments about the Welsh Firebreak and it's effect on garden centre trading.

 

 

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