B&Q pre-empts mandatory plastic bag charge
B&Q has introduced a 5p plastic carrier bag charge in England, a year ahead of when the law comes into force. Read more
B&Q pre-empts mandatory plastic bag charge
B&Q has introduced a 5p plastic carrier bag charge in England, a year ahead of when the law comes into force. Read more
Will Gardman have new owner soon?
The Daily Telegraph reports that Gardman has appointed advisers to manage a possible sale as several private equity firms circle the business. The company says whatever happens it's business as usual. Read more
Redfields to be template as BD aims for £80m
Blue Diamond expects a turnover of more than £70m in 2014 and £80m in 2015. Alan Roper offers confidential discussions to garden centre owners thinking of leasing or selling their sites. Read more
Wadebridge makes it sweet 16 for Blue Diamond
Trelawney’s Wadebridge operation is the latest addition to the Blue Diamond network. The sale of Trelaweney@Ashord should be completed next month. See more… Read more
Electrolux Home Products acquires BeefEater Barbecues
Electrolux Home Products has purchased the BeefEater brand of barbecues and outdoor lifestyle appliances from Woodland Home Products. Staff of both companies were informed last week. Read more
New showroom part of Scotts Solus 3-year plan
Scotts has reopened the Solus Droitwich showrooms with a permanent display of the wider gardening range offered by Scotts Solus. This is a first manifestation of a 3-year integration plan. Read more
Will Tesco sell Dobbies?
The financial press has been speculating that Tesco will offload non-core assets, such as Dobbies, as the supermarket responds to its accounting crisis. Read more
Wyevale buys Moreton Park Garden Centre
Wyevale Garden Centres has announced the purchase of Moreton Park Garden Centre at Wrexham on the England Wales border. Read more
Notcutts opens phase 2 of Wheatcroft
Notcutts is to open phase 2 of Wheatcroft garden centre. The centrepiece is “The Street Kitchen” themed restaurant where each van cooks a different type of cuisine. See more… Read more
Tom Chambers buys Auld Lang Stone
Tom Chambers has announced the recent acquisition of Auld Lang Stone, the first of several acquisitions targeted by the company. Read more
C-Crafts to open first manned concession in Bents
C-Crafts, the company run by former of Hobbycraft chief executive, is to open its first manned arts and crafts concession in Bents with the second to be announced shortly. See more… Read more
Administrators appointed at Nottinghamshire garden centre
Administrators will continue to trade Tall Trees Garden Centre and The Nottingham Aquatic Centre for a short period while a purchaser is sought. See more... Read more
Shareholder vetoes Homebase sell-off
Homebase continues to close stores amid media speculation that it could be spun-off from the Home Retail Group. But a shareholder vetoes a sell off. See more... Read more
Crest Garden has supplied over 300 stockists in its first month of trading and goes public on the three brands to be unveiled at Glee. See more… Read more
Will Wyevale shortly be for sale? - UPDATED
Financial information services, Bloomberg and Reuters, are reporting that Terra Firma is looking to sell Wyevale, until recently The Garden Centre Group. But Gardenforum understands there is little behind these stories. See more… Read more
Choice and Gardman expand trading partnership
The Aftershocks from the Solus earthquake continue with news that Choice Marketing has formed a deeper trading relationship with Gardman. Read more
Caulders buys Erskine Garden Centre (UPDATED)
As of 1st November Erskine Garden Centre will be owned by Caulders Garden Centres. It will be their 4th. Read more
Young Hagedorn gets his own business within Scotts
Scotts Miracle-Gro has formed a new urban gardening company, to be headed by Chris Hagedorn, eldest son of chairman Jim Hagedorn. Read more
Timing and more details of the Trelawney sales
The sale of the two Trelawney garden centres should complete within 3 weeks. One will include a sale of the freehold, the other will involve a lease. Read more
Homebase to close a quarter of its stores
The Home Retail Group has confirmed about 80 Homebase stores, a quarter of its portfolio, will close within the next three years. See more… Read more
Is this the future of garden furniture retailing?
Garden centres regularly complain they are the showroom for online garden furniture retailers. A recent collaboration between Primrose.co.uk and Toad Hall Garden Centre may be a signpost to the future. Read more
Hands confirms Wyevale is moving away from Plants
Guy Hands tells the Evening Standard, that Terra Firma has moved Wyevale from being plant- and horticultural-based to more like a leisure company. Read more
Revitalised Sinclair to advertise on TV next spring
Sinclair is to advertise on TV next spring as it completes the new sales team, refreshes its brands, returns to wholesalers and promises to be a company that is easy to deal with. Read more
Barton Grange to sell three nurseries
Barton Grange group is to sell Garden Centre Plants and two nurseries belonging to Northern Liners. This will allow the group to concentrate on the garden centre at Brock and its substantial landscaping business. Read more
More changes at Wyevale as head of horticulture leaves
One Tim leaves Wyevale as another joins. Tim Clapp, head of horticulture, is to leave at the end of the month for B&Q. Tim Patten joins as multi-channel director. Read more
Hillview seals the deal with The Garden Store
Hillview has completed the paperwork to acquire The Garden Store business, eight months after the two companies effectively started trading as one. See more… Read more
Cheshire announces his successor and the strategy for B&Q
Sir Ian Cheshire names his successor as group chief executive of Kingfisher and outlines B&Q’s strategy of store closures and resizing as it adapts to the new digital age. See more… Read more
Westland launches two new ventures at SPOGA Gafa
Last November, Westland acquired Seramis, the German manufacturer of water retaining clay granules. It used SPOGA Gafa to launch a new range of products for Europe. See more... Read more
No mother, no sale
Garden centres and pet shops are facing a possible ban on the sale of puppies and kittens in a move designed to stamp out ‘horrific’ puppy farming. See more… Read more
Westland backed Crest Garden has announced a joint-venture with pot and tray manufacturer Desch Plantpak, which is completing a £2 million investment in the UK. See more… Read more