Granary Group to re-launch Ladd’s next spring
The Granary Group are delighted with the acquisition of Ladds Garden Village as it continues to expand its garden centre portfolio. Read more - members only
Granary Group to re-launch Ladd’s next spring
The Granary Group are delighted with the acquisition of Ladds Garden Village as it continues to expand its garden centre portfolio. Read more - members only
Positive covid-19 test at Dobbies Ayr
Dobbies garden centre at Ayr has asked visitors to its restaurant last Friday to be vigilant after a visitor tested positive for Covid-19. Read more - open to all
Beckworth Emporium to start £2m upgrade
Beckworth Emporium, between Northampton and Wellingborough, is about to start work on a major upgrade that will lift its sales of plants and gardening. Read more - members only
Fosters of Thrybergh is to close
Fosters Garden Centre in Thrybergh, Rotheram is to close at the end of October after 40 years trading. Read more - members only
Tong adds second restaurant
Tong garden centre is to open a second 180 seat restaurant this autumn on the mezzanine of a recent extension at the Bradford site. Read more - members only
John Lewis looks at garden centres
Part of Dame Sharon White’s transformation review for John Lewis includes building a new gardening business, potentially with new partnerships and acquisitions. Read more - members only
Kingfisher upgrades profit forecast
Kingfisher, the group that operates B&Q and Screwfix in the UK, increased sales by 26% in June. Half year profits will be ahead of last year. Read more - members only
Dobbies partners with Sainsbury’s to sell groceries
Dobbies has partnered with Sainsbury’s to sell a range of the supermarket’s food and groceries at its garden centres. Read more - members only
Northern Irish growers to share £1.5m support package
The HTA reports a £1.5m COVID-19 support package is being offered to Northern Ireland horticultural businesses and calls again for a grant aid scheme for British growers. Read more - open to all
Garden centres are cautious about restaurant reopening
While Dobbies are reopening their restaurants as soon as permitted, others are adopting a more cautious approach. Some are not opening this month. Read more - open to all
SBM restructures its European marketing team
SBM has restructured its European marketing team adding four including James Ramnought in the UK as head of marketing for North West Europe (United Kingdom / Benelux). Read more - members only
The BBC has reported that a man has died in what has been described as a "tragic accident" at Westland's peat plant in Dungannon, County Tyrone. Read more - open to all
Homebase restructures SSO and closes Wallington office
News has been published by Insight DIY of a significant restructuring of the Homebase business which took place earlier this week. Read more - open to all
Record sales for Klondyke since lockdown
2019 Results show steady sales and profit growth for Klondyke. Subsequently, the company weathered the Covid-19 lockdown without needing extra funds and has had 3 weeks of record sales. Read more - members only
Merger creates Europe’s largest hydroponics distributor
UK based HydroGarden has merged with leading German hydroponics wholesaler, Grow In, based in Berlin, creating the largest hydroponics wholesaler in the European market. Read more - members only
BGC acquires vacant Thatcham GC
British Garden Centres has acquired the former Wyevale garden centre at Thatcham, which has been closed for several months. Re-opening is planned for October. Read more - members only
Which plant varieties will be hot for 2021?
Which plant varieties will be hot for 2021?... the industry has voted at the Ball Colegrave Trial Grounds at West Adderbury. Read more - open to all
Overhaul of Hay Lane Garden Centre
Landlord Tony Miller has given Wyevale’s Swindon Hay Lane a complete overhaul and renamed it Studley Grange Garden Centre. Read more - members only
Greenfingers Trading is in liquidation UPDATED
Greenfingers Trading Ltd that ran Greenfingers.com was put into liquidation on 4th August. The website however continues to trade. MD 0f M8 Group, Scott Torrens, explains what happened. Read more - members only
Handy Garden Machinery to close retail outlet
Handy completes its transformation to wholesaler as it closes its retail outlet in Swindon. Read more - members only
Pictures of first Sainsbury's/Dobbies partnership
Dobbies Garden Centres celebrates introducing a range of Sainsbury’s food and grocery products to its flagship store in Edinburgh. Read more - members only
Woodlodge buys Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry
Leading pot supplier, Woodlodge, is extending its garden decoration offer with the acquisition of Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry. Read more - members only
Fresh @ Burcot Garden Centre is closing later this month
Fresh @ Burcot Garden Centre at Bromsgrove is closing later this month. The garden centre is being sold by Nicci and Neil Gow. Read more - members only
Two acquisitions for Eliza Tinsley
Eliza Tinsley has bought Reedy Tools and Greenman Garden Tools. Read more - members only
Wyevale Garden Centres has been wound up
On 28th May Wyevale Garden Centres Ltd, one of garden centres’ biggest names disappeared into history, when it was wound up after trading for 58 years. We look back through the years. Read more - members only
Immediate action saved Blue Diamond from a very serious financial problem
2019 results show Blue Diamond had a strong year. What followed with Covid-19 threatened up to 3 months with no sales. “This would have been a tragedy as well as a major financial loss.” Read more - members only
‘done is better than perfect’ replaces One Kingfisher
Along with its annual results, the new CEO of Kingfisher, Thierry Garnier, reveals a new strategy for Kingfisher. “It needs to be simpler, leaner, more agile, open to partnerships, and even more customer-focused.” Read more - members only
Garden Centre in Bury St Edmunds to close
Marlows Home and Garden Centre in Bury St Edmunds is to close, blaming poor trading conditions caused by Coronavirus. Read more - members only
Positive Covid-19 test closes B&Q store - UPDATED
UPDATED B&Q reacted quickly to a positive Coronavirus test of a staff member, asking customers to immediately leave its store in Wallasey. Now a second store, in Wales, has been closed. Read more - open to all
Parasene set to return to the market
The Parasene brand has been bought by a former employee, John Cartwright, the owner of Fireside Products Ltd. Read more - members only