industry news Squire’s plant show
sees multiple accolades Squire’s Garden Centres held its annual plant show in West Horsley. Suppliers from the UK and abroad came to Squire’s to showcase their latest plants, ready for the spring season ahead.
Dobbies sells two of its
smallest centres to Caulders Dobbies Garden Centres has agreed the sale of its two smallest
centres – Kinross and Cumbernauld – to family-run Caulders Garden Centres. Dobbies – which bought six Wyevale centres last year, including Woodcote Green – said the sale of these two smaller centres is in line with a strategic growth plan, as it focuses on building a destination garden centre business. The deal sees independent group Caulders, which is run by Colin and
Mandy Barrie, expand its portfolio to seven centres across central Scotland. The business has been trading for nearly 20 years, having been established with a centre in Mugdock Country Park in East Dunbartonshire. Its most recent acquisition was Cupar Garden Centre in Fife, which the Barries bought in 2017. Dobbies CEO Graeme Jenkins said: “We are pleased to have agreed the sale of our two smallest centres to Caulders, one of Scotland’s leading and most experienced independent garden centre operators. We would like to thank our fantastic colleagues at these centres and wish them well for the next stage of their career under Caulders’ ownership.” He added: “The sale of these two centres is in line with Dobbies’ wider growth and expansion strategy, as we focus on growing our stall with larger destination garden centres.”
Under the terms of the deal, all 43 Dobbies team members at the Kinross and Cumbernauld centres will transfer across to Caulders. Caulders managing director Colin Barrie said: “We are looking forward to
welcoming our new team members to the Caulders family, and to working with them to develop these fantastic garden centres over the years to come. “There are superb teams at both Kinross and Cumbernauld, who have created successful garden centres for their local communities. The centres are a great fit for us and a welcome addition to our family business.” The sale is expected to complete during February, with the centres reopening as Caulders Garden Centres soon after.
Squire’s also presented its “Supplier of the Year” awards on the day. “Best Bedding Plant Supplier” went to Barnsfold Nurseries for the fourth year in a row, and Bransfold Webbs won “Best Hardy Plant Supplier”. The judging criteria included offering outstanding customer service, the quality of plants, and ease of ordering.
Trina Cole from Bransford Webbs commented: “This award is for everyone at our nursery. It’s great to be recognised by Squire’s. Their staff are wonderful, a real joy to work with. They are so enthusiastic and knowledgeable, they really care about what they do.” 80% of Squire’s plant suppliers are based in the UK and 40% are
located within 20 miles of a Squire’s centre – which means that plants miles are kept to a minimum and local growers are supported. Sarah Squire, chairman of Squire’s commented: “The plant show
is one of my favourite events of the year. It’s great to see new varieties of plants, and some old favourites, all on display under one roof. I’d like to thank all of our suppliers for coming. We are so grateful to them for the superb quality of plants that they grow and the great service that they give us. Plants are at the heart of our business, and this event really launches the start of the spring season. Customers can expect to see lots of exciting new varieties of plants in our garden centres in the next few weeks.”
Barnsfold Nurseries wins Supplier of the Year and Best Bedding Plant Supplier
GCA names Mike Burks as chairman elect
The Gardens Group managing director, who has been on the Garden Centre Association’s executive committee for 10 years, was revealed as chairman elect for 2020/2021, succeeding Mike Lind.
Mr Burks said: “I am greatly looking forward to my chairmanship and am lucky that the GCA has been in excellent hands with current chairman, Mike Lind. With the association in such good shape, I can focus much of my time on driving forward with new initiatives and plan to visit many garden centres, attend meetings and work closely with the team to develop GROW, an e- learning tool that is very close to my heart, to make sure our members can get the most out of this valuable system.”
He continued: “As well as sharing membership success stories, such as those of the recently-awarded Fron Goch, Perrywood, and The Old Railway Line, who
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also brought some exciting ideas and standards into the GCA, I’m keen to demonstrate the role that the industry can play in protecting wildlife and the environment, as well as bringing people together through plants and gardening to promote better health and wellbeing.
“We are in an enviable position, in that so many trends and needs of the modern world cross our path, so we need to work together to make the most of these opportunities.”
GCA chief executive Iain Wylie said: “I am thrilled to announce Mike as the new chairman elect and congratulate him on being elected during our AGM meeting by our members. “I am really looking forward to working with him
when he takes on the role and our first task will be organising our next conference for January, 2020, which we will ensure will be bigger and better than ever.”
GCU January/February 2019
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