How the next GCA chairman reached the top in garden centres
Ben Harrison’s rapid rise to the top of garden centre retailing is an example to anyone aspiring to a successful career in horticulture and gardening.
29 Dec 2025, AS
There is already a member directory in place - https://gca.org.uk/find-a-garden-centre/ It’s also worth remembering the scale of lobbying that went on during Covid. The combined efforts of GCA, HTA and GIMA were genuinely impressive and directly resulted in garden centres being classified as essential retail and allowed to reopen. That was a clear example of the industry bodies working very effectively together. On Sunday trading, I agree entirely that the laws feel outdated - but that’s a much wider retail issue, not one unique to garden centres. Continued lobbying makes sense, but it’s a long game and not one any single association can solve alone.
29 Dec 2025, JR
Well here’s a couple for starters An interactive online UK Garden Centre directory of members for customers, starting everything you would want to know as a customer- Online direct contact with member stores, chat etc. Locations, and everything associated, including parking, an integrated customer incentivised rating system. Lobby government more regarding opening times & restrictions on trade, especially Easter Sunday and Sundays. Just better commercial support, perhaps less opinion from people who know little about running a profitable modern garden centre and more from those who do.
21 Dec 2025, WW
Regarding JRs comment. Its the bane of any trade associations life when someone says "they could do more?" More what? All GCA members are also HTA members and many of the larger garden centre owners are active on HTA committees and lobby groups. To my mind, the GCA has a clear set of objectives on retail standards and delivering on-line training. They also have active on line forums. What more might people want?
18 Dec 2025, JR
Understood. Not disputing how friendly folks are-But The Garden Centre Association needs to do more. Just an opinion.
11 Dec 2025, AS
I've found the GCA a really supportive and informative network. Great for making connections, sharing problems, sharing data, training, and helping to raise the standards across its membership. As always with an industry association, members get out what they put in. 'The boys club' are some of the friendliest individuals I've come across in this industry, I would encourage you to talk directly with them if you have specific concerns.
5 Dec 2025, JR
Lets hope he brings some actual use to the GCA that benefits Garden Centres and not just the boys club and does much better then previous
