Bridgnorth to become the biggest in BGC group

British Garden Centres has confirmed plans to double the size of Bridgnorth garden centre near Wolverhampton, making it the biggest garden centre in the group. Read more - members only

Dobbies Garden Centres launches outlet stores

Dobbies has opened two new outlet stores at its branches in Morpeth in Northumberland and Atherstone in Warwickshire. Read more - members only

Dobbies appoints new Commercial Director

Dobbies has appointed Andy Hannan as Commercial Director.  He replaces Richard Hodges who has stepped down from this role. Read more - open to all

Andy Hannan, Dobbies Commercial Director.

Commercial Director to leave Dobbies

Richard Hodges, who joined Dobbies in November 2021, has announced that he is preparing to leave the group and prepare for the next chapter of his life. Read more - open to all

Richard Hodges

Notcutts CEO discusses how the company has developed

Since 2015, when Nick Burrows joined Notcutts, the company has upgraded almost its entire portfolio of 18 garden centres and invested in developing its people. Read more - members only

Nick Burrows

Greenwood Plants named ‘International Grower of the Year’

Greenwood Plants won three awards, including overall ‘International Grower of the Year’ at the annual AIPH awards, held at IPM Essen, Germany on 24th January. Read more - members only

Melanie Asker with Jaap Huisman of Greenwood Holland and Commercial Director Alastair Fairbairn

BHETA welcomes Einhell

DIY and garden tools brand, Einhell has joined BHETA.  Founded in Germany in 1964 and established in the UK in 1999, the company is widely promoted to consumers and is well known for its interchangeable battery system. Read more - open to all

Notcutts appoints new Marketing and Customer Experience Director

Notcutts has announced the appointment of Jane Gray as the company's new Marketing and Customer Experience Director. Read more - open to all

Jane Gray - Marketing and Customer Experience Director, Notcutts

Flooded Garden Centre won’t reopen until March

The owner of a garden centre ‘wiped out’ by Storm Henk says flooding has caused six figures worth of damage. Waterside Garden Centre in Baston was among the businesses badly hit by the flooding last week. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond warns about dogs in Garden Centres

Endsleigh Garden Centre, in Ivybridge, Devon, part of the Blue Diamond Group has re-kindled the debate about allowing dogs in garden centres. Read more - members only

Notcutts hits record customer satisfaction levels at the close of 2023

Over 8 years Notcutts has doubled its customer satisfaction score (NPS) to the level of Excellent.  Notcutts CEO, Nick Burrows outlines how the garden centre group has achieved this. Read more - members only

2023 news roundup

We highlight the main events of 2023 including the collapse of Wilko, juggling of the trade shows calendar and the deaths of some notable pioneers in the industry. Read more - open to all

YPHA hold meeting at Coolings as tribute for their mentor Paul Cooling

Westland to fund community gardening projects

Westland Horticulture has launched the New Horizon Fund to support community gardening projects across the UK and Ireland in 2024. Read more - members only

New Horizon Fund Pallet Banner

Best Christmas displays in the UK

Castle Gardens and Garsons Garden Centre, Esher have been declared the national winners of the GCA’s Christmas display competition for 2023.  See the Regional winners. Read more - members only

Christmas in Numbers by British Garden Centres

Popular demand brings back ‘Christmas in Numbers’ by British Garden Centres, the country’s largest family-run garden centre group. Read more - members only

Flowerpot merger announced

Naylor Gardenware has agreed to merge with Smith & Jennings with effect from Friday 1 March 2024. Read more - members only

Above inflation pay rise at B&Q

B&Q claims to be the highest paying major retailer in the country after above inflation wage rises. Read more - members only

BGC takes the covers off Fern Living

British Garden Centres has taken the wraps off Fern Living, an outdoor living brand that will be unique to the group. Read more - members only

Bells Horticultural acquires Peter Beales Roses

Family-run Bells Horticultural announces the acquisition of the Peter Beales Roses business and assures customers of a smooth transition. Read more - members only

Apta relocates to East Yorkshire

Apta, a pot and planter brand with a 35-year heritage, has recently relocated to a new home at the AMES Companies headquarters in Pollington, East Yorkshire. Read more - members only

Pollington

Evergreen business performance was strong in 2023

Accounts for Evergreen Garden Care Ltd for the year to 30 Sept 2023 show an operating profit of €38m before finance charges of €65m. Read more - members only

Iver Flowerland closes after night-time fire

Flowerland Garden Centre in Iver was forced to shut after a fire on Monday morning (January 15). Emergency services rushed to the garden centre after reports of a fire at about 2.30am on Norwood Lane. Read more - members only

Garden centres cautious about 2024

Most garden centres were satisfied with relatively strong Christmas trading. But there’s concern about 2024 with rising costs and thefts. We gather the views of garden centre leaders. Read more - members only

Restaurants - the success story of 2023

New CEO for Mr Fothergill’s

Mr. Fothergill’s Seeds Limited has named Michael Yates as new the CEO.  He comes with 25 years of global brand building experience. Read more - open to all

Michael Yates, CEO at Mr Fothergill's Seeds

Westland's online houseplant hub for consumers

8th – 14th January is National Houseplant Week and Westland has launched an online educational hub for consumers to find their houseplant advice. Read more - members only

Hornby George PR officially launches

As 2024 unfolds a new name for all things PR has launched with one of the sector’s longest-serving PR professionals at its helm. Hornby George PR marks an exciting new chapter for the team that previously led the way with Hornby Whitefoot PR. Read more - open to all

Kimberley Hornby - owner of Hornby George PR

Public support for proposed Blue Diamond garden centre

Northumberland Estates and Blue Diamond have proposed to build a new garden centre on land at Cawledge to the east of the A1 near Alnwick. Read more - members only

Dobbies unveils £130m loss

Dobbies Garden Centres Group blames difficult trading conditions in the year to Feb 2023 for declining sales and a pre-tax loss of £130m. Read more - members only

Dobbies CEO David Robinson

Scottish minister calls for removal of peat deadline

Scottish minister backs HTA calls on Westminster to remove arbitrary 2026 deadline for banning sale of peat in professional horticulture. Read more - members only

Mairi Gougeon MSP

Serious warehouse fire at Garland Products

We can confirm that we suffered a serious fire in the smallest of three industrial units on The Pensnett Estate in Kingswinford in the early hours of the morning on 30th November. Thankfully we can confirm that no one was injured in the incident. Read more - members only

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