Haskins to open a temporary garden centre at Snowhill

Haskins Garden Centres will trade from a temporary garden centre at Snowhill from March 1st, while a new modern structure is built as part of a £15m redevelopment. Read more - members only

Artists impression of Snowhill development

Wyevale agrees the sale of Chichester GC

Wyevale has agreed the sale of Chichester Garden Centre, but will continue to run the site until 31 August 2019. Read more - members only

James Barnes is to be HTA Chairman

James Barnes, the former CEO of Dobbies, is to become the chairman of the HTA and will speak on behalf of the association with members and outside the industry. Read more - open to all

James Barnes

Dobbies loses £12.5m in 2017/18

Dobbies says range changes implemented during the second half 2017 led to lower footfall and conversion, particularly during the Christmas trading period. Finance charges of £15.3m contributed to a loss of £-12.5m. Read more - members only

Further extension at Tong recommended for approval UPDATED

Yorkshire’s Tong Garden Centre looks set to add to its 2016 extension after planning officers recommend approval. UPDATED Read more - members only

Wyevale confirms sale of Enfield garden centre

Wyevale has agreed the sale of Enfield garden centre, the 36th to be sold. It will continue to trade for 12 months. There is no imminent sale expected of the main body of the garden centres. Read more - members only

Hillier recognises outstanding achievement after another record year

Yesterday's Hillier Garden Centre Awards were buoyant after another record year. Prizes included garden centre and employee of the year and a standing ovation for the achievement of the year, plus awards for the top suppliers. Read more - open to all

Employee of the year - Nigel Fifield

Q3 sales down -2.8% at B&Q

One Kingfisher remains on track says Kingfisher despite a sales drop at B&Q and Castorama in France in Q3 (Aug – October). Screwfix grows +11%. Read more - members only

Koelnmesse parts company with Katharina C. Hamma

Koelnmesse, operator of spoga+gafa in Cologne has parted company with its COO citing a strategic difference of views. Read more - members only

Katharina C. Hamma

Notcutts grows sales but not profits

Exchange rates hit profits at Notcutts in 2017. There’s a new livery and an online store will be coming early in 2019 as 5-year development plan grows sales. Read more - members only

Tunbridge Wells

Westland expresses confidence in Gardman sales team UPDATED

Westland says real progress is being made with Gardman.  Order volume is now close to last year’s levels. There will be 95% availability for next season and customer loyalty has been beyond expectations. UPDATED with comments from Edward Conroy. Read more - members only

Thermoflor rescued from bankruptcy

Thermoflor, the Dutch manufacturer of retail buildings for garden centres, will restart operations in the UK having been bought by KSPL Holding. Read more - members only

Third generation takes control at Langlands

James Ducker, grandson of the founder, has completed an MBO to buy Langlands from other members of his family. The group has 3 garden centres in the North of England. Read more - members only

Robert, James and Janet Ducker

Rosebourne completes purchase of Wyevale's Hampton-in-Arden

Rosebourne and Wyevale have completed a deal, first announced in September, for the purchase of Hampton-in-Arden garden centre by Rosebourne. Read more - members only

Tates confirm purchase of Old Barn from Wyevale

Tates of Sussex has revealed that Wyevale’s Old Barn Garden centre is now part of its group.  This is the 31st Garden centre to be sold by Wyevale. Read more - members only

Gardenforum reviews a turbulent year for garden retail

Here’s your chance to catch up with some of the events in the retail garden sector that you may have missed. It was a turbulent year with the collapse of Gardman; around 60 garden centres changing hands or closing, Wyevale, Bunnings, Snow and drought. This is open to all. Read more - open to all

Gardman's fire started a turbulent year

Baytree Nurseries to buy Dents Farm Hilgay

Baytree Nurseries is to buy Dents Farm Hilgay at Downham Market in Norfolk. The deal is with solicitors and should complete in January. Read more - members only

Dents Farm restaurant

Wyevale sells Ham Street to Grovewell

Wyevale has sold Ham Street Garden Centre near Ashford in Kent to Grovewell Garden Centres. Read more - members only

Two more Wyevale sales make it 37 sold

Wyevale has sold Wellingborough and Wolds View, both will continue as garden centres.  This sale takes the list of those sold to 37 with 108 remaining in the group.  Read more to download the list of garden centres sold. Read more - members only

Wolds View

Blue Diamond falls victim to ransomware attack

Blue Diamond has written to suppliers warning of a delay in payments following a ransomware attack that has encrypted all the files and systems on its network, including the finance system. Read more - members only

Peckish to sponsor C4 Weather in spring

Westland Horticulture’s Peckish wild bird food brand will be sponsoring the Channel 4 Weather bulletins from 1st January 2019 until the end of February. Read more - members only

Wyevale sells 5 non-core garden centres

Wyevale has announced the sale of 4 garden centres in the south plus Hereford Wellington to new owners who will continue to operate them as garden centres.  Read more - members only

West Parley

Garden centre falls foul of the law for a second time this year

The owner of Plants Galore in S. Devon has been fined almost £13,000 after a massive fire of illegally stored waste. Earlier the company was caught charging for accepting credit and debit cards. Read more - members only

SBM and Barrus join forces with merchandising deal

SBM Life Science and E. P. Barrus have agreed a joint merchandising partnership for key UK garden centres. Read more - members only

B&M profits from earlier sell through of gardening and outdoor

Margins lift at value retailer B&M as it is on course to open 58 new stores this year. Read more - members only

Further heavy losses for Wyevale as the FT reports a delay in the sale process

A report by the Financial Times suggests the Wyevale sale process could continue to mid-December. Recently issued accounts for Trellis Investments, Wyevale’s holding company, indicate the group needs to sell garden centres to meet its financial covenants. Read more - members only

Westland buys Erin from Leisuregrow

Westland Horticulture has confirmed the purchase of Erin Horticulture in the Irish Republic. The company was part of Leisuregrow. Read more - members only

New planning consent will continue recent expansion of Bell Plantation

Bell Plantation has this week received permission for an additional 11,000 sq ft. to continue its rapid expansion, having opened 10,000 sq ft. 6 weeks ago. Work will start immediately. Read more - members only

Ashley Warren, Sophie and Freddie

Squire’s Windsor closes its doors for the last time

Squire’s closed Windsor Garden Centre on 31st October. It has been earmarked for housing since 2015. Following the acquisition of Frensham garden centre in August the group continues to operate 15 garden centres. Read more - members only

Dobbies buys Woodcote Green

Wyevale Garden Centres has announced the sale of Woodcote Green Garden centre in South London to Dobbies and confirms that other bidders remain for a small group or portfolio of garden centres. Read more - members only

To see earlier stories - Look in the News Archive