B&M continues solid growth
A quarterly trading update from B&M shows +14% revenue growth, with 12 stores added. Seasonal products performed particularly well. Read more - members only
B&M continues solid growth
A quarterly trading update from B&M shows +14% revenue growth, with 12 stores added. Seasonal products performed particularly well. Read more - members only
Wyevale announces the closure of Chichester GC
Wyevale has emailed customers to say Chichester Garden centre will close on August 4th, a little earlier than expected. Read more - members only
Woods of Berkhamsted under closure threat
Woods of Berkhamsted, a garden centre in the Capital Gardens group, claims it is facing the threat of closure because of the predatory practices of the neighbouring Waitrose supermarket. Read more - members only
Swan Retail announces acquisition of Touchretail
Swan Retail have announced the recent acquisition of Touchretail, a provider of retail systems that will further extend the scope and range of solutions provided by Swan’s group of businesses and grows its customer base beyond 500 companies. Read more - members only
Squire’s buys Wokingham Garden Centre
Squire’s is buying its first garden centre from Wyevale, Heathlands at Wokingham. Read more - members only
Hillier Nurseries switches to contract growing
Hillier Nurseries has written to customers saying it will not accept any new orders for delivery after December 2019, from non-Hillier garden centres unless through a contract growing agreement. Read more - members only
Award for New Leaf, 4 years after it faced closure
New Leaf Plants has been named Nursery Stock Grower of the Year 2019, 4 years after it was on the verge of closure with the land being sold by the previous owner. Read more - members only
Smart Garden is “1 in a 1000”…..
Smart Garden Products has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2019. Read more - members only
Hillier grows to 16
Hillier has completed its purchase of 4 Wyevale sites announced in April, bringing the number of Hillier Garden Centres to 16. Read more - members only
Wyevale Garden Centres agrees sale of Podington Garden Centre
Wyevale Garden Centres announce that Podington Garden Centre has been sold to Cherry Lane Garden Centre making it the 14th garden centre owned by the QD Group. Read more - members only
Ownership of New Hopetoun Gardens transfers to employees
Directors, Lesley Watson and Dougal Philip have transferred New Hopetoun Gardens to an Employee Ownership Trust. The moves secures the future of the business they have build over 40 years. Read more - members only
Wyevale sells 11 more centres
Wyevale Garden Centres is selling 11 more garden centres in four separate transactions to British Garden Centres, The Plant Area Limited (t/a Clandon Park Garden Centre), Coolings Garden Centres and Maidenhead Aquatics. Read more - members only
Spate of thefts hits garden centres
Garden centres in West Yorkshire, the Midlands and Northumberland have been hit by a series of break ins, where goods are being stolen to order. Read more - members only
Mill Race Garden Centre and website is for sale
Swallow Aquatics has announced it is to sell Mill Race Garden Centre and website as a going concern with Swallow remaining as a tenant. Read more - members only
Syngenta acquires of Varinova’s cyclamen business
The acquisition of Varinova’s cyclamen business is a strategic move for Syngenta Flowers that aims for a stronger position in the cyclamen market. Read more - members only
Blue Diamond takes another 6 Wyevale garden centres
Wyevale has announced that Blue Diamond is to take another 6 garden centres, bringing their group total to 36 sites. Read more - members only
Profit improves at Notcutts
Notcutts has improved in the year ending February 2019 with operating profit up 52.5% to £1.5m. This represents 2% of turnover which is still low but Notcutts is investing heavily in upgrading its centres. Read more - members only
No more Wyevale sites for Dobbies
Speaking at the Dobbies Christmas launch, CEO Graeme Jenkins, said that Dobbies would not be buying any more Wyevale garden centres. But this will not be the end of their acquisitions. Read more - members only
New Leaf opens the doors to its new nursery
After 5 years of development Nicky and David Higginson have unveiled the new New Leaf Plants nursery to customers. Read more - members only
The 2019 GIMA Award winners are…
The big winners at last night’s Garden Industry Manufacturer’s Awards were the rapidly growing Smart Garden and industry newcomer, Primeur, with its recycled rubber, self watering planters. Read more - members only
Planners turn down plans for housing on Fresh at Burcot
Planners have turned down plans that would have seen Fresh at Burcot garden centre closed and replaced with housing. Read more - members only
Choice Marketing adds 3 new garden centres
Choice Marketing has announced the addition of 3 new garden centres to the Group. This brings the total number of centres within Choice Marketing to 45 and a group retail turnover in excess of £135m. Read more - members only
Dobbies applies to extend Dunfermline
Dobbies has applied to Fife Council to increase the size of the retail area and improve the farm shop and foodhall area at Dunfermline garden centre. Read more - members only
Kingfisher names new CEO
Kingfisher, parent of B&Q and Screwfix in the UK has named Thierry Garnier to replace Véronique Laury as CEO this autumn. He will be based at Kingfisher’s headquarters in London. Read more - members only
Kettler GB builds new DC to accommodate growth
The charitable trust Kettler GB has broken ground on a 3,000 sqm. building that will double the size of its operations at Redditch. This follows rapid growth in recent years. Read more - members only
Dobbies almost completes onboarding the 31
Dobbies has almost completed the purchase of the 31 Wyevale garden centres announced in May. We list the 43 Wyevale sites that remain unsold. Dobbies are said to be in discussions for more. Read more - members only
Capital takes control of Sherfield on Lodden
Capital Gardens took control of Sherfield On Loddon garden centre from Wyevale last Friday, promising the most exciting range of indoor and outdoor plants in the area. Read more - members only
Warren Haskins looks ahead as he celebrates 50 years in garden centres
Warren Haskins celebrates 50 years in garden centres and explains how he has secured the future for Haskins garden centres. Read more - members only
Highfield plans further expansion
Following its 2014 developments, which proved an unmitigated success, Highfield Garden World is finalising plans for a further extension. Read more - members only
Dobbies ‘On-Boards’ 11 Wyevale garden centres
Dobbies has taken control of the first 11 of the 31 Wyevale garden centres it agreed to buy in April. The rest will follow in weeks as Dobbies looks to buy further sites. Read more - members only