Matthew Wilson for Tong

PetQuip Awards 2023 winners announced

Last night’s PetQuip Awards hosted a record number of guests as the pet industry convened to recognise excellence and celebrate achievement. Held alongside and in association with PATS Telford, the PetQuip Awards cover Supplier, Retailer, Product, Export and...

Yorkshire Garden Centres donates to charities from Kindness Pot

Yorkshire Garden Centre group donates from Kindness Pot to community groups and charities

A ‘Kindness Pot' set up by Yorkshire Garden Centre group has supported 22 local groups and donated over £1,000 in the last six months. The Yorkshire Garden Centres (YGC) initiative was established to support local causes nominated by team members at the group's...

HTA teams up with the BRC for help on retail crime

Retail crime: HTA calls on Home Secretary for urgent action

The HTA has joined forces with the BRC and other major retailers to call for action on the escalating crisis of retail crime. In 2022, the HTA estimated £16 million worth of garden centre turnover had been lost to retail crime over the last 12 months. Over 70% of...

Expansion work at Laylocks Garden Centre is underway

Work is underway at the expansion at Laylocks Garden Centre in Cotheridge near Worcester. The aim is to open the new development in March 2024. Hannah Warr, a director at the centre, said: "We are excited. Everyone has been telling us they are excited by the new...

Dobbies supporting The Tree Council seed campaign

Dobbies teams up with The Tree Council for free children’s workshop

Dobbies is supporting the Tree Council seed gathering campaign with a special edition of its Little Seedlings Club workshop on Sunday 1 October. The free event will offer children aged 4-10 the chance to learn about "Super Seeds". It will discuss the vital role...

12,000 lost apprenticeship positions in retail

12,000 lost apprenticeship places in retail

Retailers could have offered 12,000 more apprenticeships over the past year if it was not for the Government’s failure to reform the Apprenticeship Levy, according to a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The industry took on approximately 17,000...

Howard family purchases Wellingborough Garden Centre

Howard family completes purchase of Wellingborough Garden Centre

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co has completed the sale of Wellingborough Garden Centre in Great Doddington, Northamptonshire to the Howard Family. Albeit newcomers to the garden centre industry the family already operates successful...

The Gardens Group shortlisted for Planet Mark Awards 2023

The Gardens Group named as finalists at the Planet Mark Awards

The Gardens Group has been announced as one of the finalists at the Planet Mark Awards 2023, which is set to take place at The Royal Institution in London on Thursday 2 November. Shortlisted in the Employee Engagement category, the independent garden centre group...

Just four weeks until the GIMA Awards 2023

The garden retail sector is abuzz as the GIMA Awards are set to return in just four weeks! Taking place at the Celtic Manor resort in Newport, South Wales, the event will once again be a hotbed of celebration and networking, with 17 coveted awards up for grabs. ...

August BoT figures show an ‘Excellent month’ for GCA members

The GCA Barometer of Trade (BoT) figures for August have revealed an ‘excellent month’ with members seeing an uplift in 11 of the 13 categories recorded by the organisation (2023). Out this week, the BoT also highlighted a positive year-to-date variance of +1.13%...