READER PROFILE: CAROL PARIS
Reader profile: Carol Paris Naomi Davis talks to the new HTA president about what she hopes to achieve in the role.
Carol Paris is a lady that manages to squeeze more into her day than many would think possible!
A
s operations director at the Garden & Leisure Group she is responsible
for a variety of functions within the business, which regularly take her across the country to spend time in the business’ six branches. She executes the group’s day-to-day operations, heads up the buying team, visits suppliers and is responsible for the HR department. In addition to this, Carol has been the vice- president of the Horticultural Trade Association for two years and was recently elected to the role of president, now serving as the voice of horticultural retailers and suppliers. It is her love of the industry
that facilitates and inspires the work she does, which she admits can sometimes necessitate seven-day weeks. “I love my job; I love the variety of what I do – even if I’m in buying all week I’ll be in a different department every day!” She says of her progression to HTA president, “I was asked to sit on the board around five years ago and also sat on the board of the Horticultural Development Company, which gave me a great understanding of the horticulture, science and research side of this industry. I wouldn’t call myself a horticulturalist but I have certainly developed a passion for the category. “I then progressed to the role
as VP and to president this year. The HTA is an excellent trade body and does some really valuable government lobbying.” Carol says that one of her
main objectives as HTA president is to try and build closer relations with the industry bodies and associations, and for them to all work more closely. “The HTA, the GCA and GIMA are all working for the good of the
industry so it would be great to work together where possible.” Her passion for retail was
ignited on what was originally intended as a short break from professional equestrianism. Carol explains, “I only planned to take around six months off to recover from a shoulder injury and took a job in Harrods’ equestrian department, which I figured would be the next best thing to riding!” However, she fell in love with the job and landed a position on the department store’s graduate training scheme, which
department store is not the first way I think of us; the heart of the operation is plants and the other areas are peripheral, but at the same time, ‘garden centre’ doesn’t really cover it either!” One of the biggest industry-
wide challenges that Carol perceives is finding the right people, “We all need staff with horticultural knowledge and great people skills, but it can be difficult to find those with both, not least because retail isn’t seen as a good career option. Retail has a bad image and people tend to end up in it by chance - we
“The HTA, the GCA and GIMA are all working for the good of the industry so it would be great to work together,” Carol Paris
educated her in the disciplines of buying and personnel. When Carol moved to Wales
with her family, she took a role as area manager for The Edinburgh Woollen Mill and was responsible for helping the business expand into Ireland and putting concessions into Wyevale stores. Her experience working within the Wyevale operation led to the opportunity with the Garden & Leisure Group and she says she hasn’t looked back since! The experience with Harrods
and The Edinburgh Woollen Mill made for a great grounding before moving into the world of garden centres. “Garden retailing is very different now to when I joined; garden centres are very different and have really improved to meet modern retail standards. We carry a lot of different departments, and sell everything from tarantulas to greeting cards, so the background in department store retail certainly helped.” The nature of the Garden &
Leisure business, which the company website describes as a department store, creates a difficulty that Carol says many in the industry face. “The term
need to change this.” However she says that that
image is unfounded when it comes to garden centre retail, “Developing people is one of the things this industry does best and it’s so rewarding to see people achieving to the best of their abilities. My proudest achievement in my career to date is the growth and development we’ve achieved with the Garden & Leisure stores. The Huntingdon store was very small with around eight staff when we bought it and it now turns over millions every year.” Carol’s dynamic attitude and
expert insight are qualities that have made her an excellent choice for HTA president at a time when the industry is faced with increased competition. “A number of supermarkets and traditional department stores are getting involved in this industry, so the future is really about continuing to prove our worth through great expertise and service!” We wish her every success!
For more information visit
www.g-l.co.uk and
www.the-hta.org.uk
60 seconds with…
Carol Paris
What has been your bestseller this year so far? “Plants, plants and more plants!”
What’s your personal favourite product in the business? “It would have to be plants again!”
Which other retailer in the market do you think has the best offering? “In gardening independents such as Scotsdales. In retail as a whole, I love Harrods.”
Which brands or products would you associate most with your typical customers? “Levington, Westland, Scotts, Weber and David Austin Roses.”
Which are your favourite trade shows/events? “Harrogate Christmas and Gift and Frankfurt Christmasworld.”
What products are you excited about for 2012? “Westland WestPlus peat free compost, and Smart Solar’s table which is really innovative.”
What do you look for when selecting a new product or supplier? “Quality, service, innovation and price.”
DIYRetailer.co.uk | Garden & Hardware News | 21
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