Haskins on course for enhanced profits till Covid-19

The reopening of Snowhill had set Haskins on course for significantly enhanced profits say the most recent accounts. Then came Covid-19, the full impact of which remains uncertain. Read more - members only

Snowhill Garden Centre

Little Dobbies

Dobbies, the 68 strong garden centre group, is to open its first small format store, Little Dobbies, in November in Edinburgh. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond reorganises its garden buying team

Blue Diamond has reorganised its category management team for gardening following the departure of 3 buyers, to give it a more commercial focus says Alan Roper. Read more - members only

Woodthorpe Hall files accounts for BGC

The 2019 results for British Garden Centres have been filed by Woodthorpe Hall Garden Centres.  This was the year the group added 41 garden centres from Wyevale and Hillview. Read more - members only

Covid-19 leads to redundancies at Haskins

The reduced capacity in restaurants and an unknown future due to Coronavirus has forced Haskins to consult with employees and call for voluntary redundancies. Read more - members only

Haskins garden centre at Snowhill

Homebase to roll out ‘The Green Aisle’

Homebase is rolling out ‘The Green Aisle’ across its stores and online, showing a range of the most environmentally friendly and energy-efficient products all in one place. Read more - members only

John Lewis launches its ground-breaking 3D virtual Christmas

John Lewis launches its ground-breaking 3D virtual Christmas shop as garden centres report a boost in early Christmas sales and are optimistic for the season. Read more - members only

John Lewis virtual Christmas display

Store openings to accelerate at B&M

B&M is to accelerate UK store openings after 23% like-for-like growth in the 6 months since end of March, opening up to 45 new stores this year.

Read more - members only

Dobbies reopens 31 soft plays this month

Following updated guidance from the UK Government that soft plays may reopen in England, Dobbies Garden Centres, is reopening 31 soft plays through September. Read more - members only

Perrywood plans major new garden centre for Sudbury

Perrywood is seeking permission to expand and upgrade the Sudbury garden centre it bought from Wyevale 2 years ago, to a size similar to Tiptree. Read more - members only

Online booking for all Dobbies Xmas events

Dobbies has launched its Christmas events programme, with Santa due to arrive at all 68 stores. Safety is Dobbies’ number one priority so booking will be online. Read more - members only

Desch Plantpak acquires IPP factories

Desch Plantpak has acquired all IPP’s commercial activities. This will boost to Desch’s leading position in thermoformed and injection moulded products for the horticultural industry. Read more - members only

Steve Harper leaves The Greener Gardening Company

Steve Harper, sales and marketing director of The Greener Gardening Company (formerly Bord na Mona), left the business last week. Read more - open to all

Steve Harper

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

Garden centre sales flourish in September

The GCA Barometer has recorded a 21% increase in garden centre sales during September, with Christmas, seeds and bulbs leading the way. Read more - members only

Table service at a Dobbies garden centre

Wymondham Garden centre buys Aylsham

Brenda and Gary Groucott, owners of Wymondham Garden Centre for almost 20 years, are reopening Aylsham Garden Centre having bought the site at auction. Read more - members only

Gary and Brenda Groucott

Expansion plans approved at Derwen Garden Centre

Planning permission has been granted for a new building at Derwen Garden Centre at Welshpool in Wales. Read more - members only

Bradford Garden Centre seeks planning permission for a second site

Directors of Tong Garden Centre have applied for planning permission to build a second site in West Yorkshire at the Acanthus Golf Centre, Tingley. Read more - members only

Tong Directors Charlie Barker, Sharon McNair and Mark Farnsworth

The Internet Gardener is to be revived

ARB & Grounds, a garden machinery business in Derby, is to bring back The Internet Gardener, the online garden furniture retailer that went into liquidation last November. Read more - members only

Elliot Davidson

Half year results from Blue Diamond show great resilience

Blue Diamond has revealed half-year sales down only 5% despite all but one of its garden centres being closed for 1/3rd of the period.  Profit before tax declined by only 17%. Read more - members only

Simon Burke, chairman of Blue Diamond Garden Centres

Kingfisher adopts a mobile first approach for B&Q

Revealing resilient half year results, Kingfisher has accelerated e-commerce plans, with a focus on fulfilment from stores which it says are integral to delivering a seamless customer experience. Read more - members only

Blue Diamond opens online fashion shop

Blue Diamond has launched an online fashion shop.  It will be followed next week by Christmas going live.   Read more - members only

Primrose has been put up for sale

Online garden retailer, Primrose, has been put up for sale, reports The Times.  This confirms rumours within the trade that the company was looking for a buyer.  Read more - members only

Morrisons' acquisition widens range of plants 

Morrisons has acquired Lansen Nursery.  This, its says, will enable its garden centres to develop further, widening the range of outdoor plants. Read more - members only

Hillier Garden Centre Marlow complete their transformation

A major transformation project at Hillier Garden Centre Marlow that began just before the spring has now been completed. Read more - members only

Evergreen looks ahead to 2021

Evergreen Garden Care says demand continues to be 20%-30% up on last year, but warns about expecting growth in 2021. 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

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