industry news
Staff raise £1,500 for charity by
hiking and cycling Twenty-two members of staff from Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford challenged themselves physically on July 21 and raised £1,500 in aid of a children’s charity. The team members either hiked 21-miles from Brecon to Crickhowell, took part in a 10-mile walk or a 34-mile bike ride all in aid of Greenfingers.
Wyevale Nurseries sales and marketing director Adam Dunnett explained: “Well done to everyone who took part. We had a great time even if it was a little too warm! “Thank you to everyone who has sponsored us so far. We are
over the moon to have raised £1,500 for Greenfingers. It is such a brilliant charity, dedicated to creating magical gardens at children’s hospices across the UK.”
Greenfingers is currently working on creating gardens at Claire House Children’s Hospice in Wirral, Little Harbour Children’s Hospice in St Austell, Rainbows Hospice in Loughborough and Richard House Hospice in Beckton, London.
Greenfingers director of fundraising and communications Linda Petrons said: “We would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to Wyevale Nurseries for supporting our charity in such a great way. I am sure it was a challenge for everyone who took part especially in this hot summer weather. The money raised will go a long way to help us ensure the gardens can now become a reality.”
Notcutts secures planning permission for multi-million pound redevelopment
Notcutts have secured planning consent for a major redevelopment and upgrade of its Woodbridge garden centre, the retailer has announced. The development will see a number of significant improvements designed to make the Woodbridge Notcutts garden centre one of the best horticultural and leisure experiences in the east of England. It will include a new restaurant with 260 indoor and outdoor covers – increasing from 100 currently. There will also be a new purpose built kitchen and counterflow system to support menu additions and the overall customer experience.
The work will also see a near doubling of internal retail space and the introduction of a new twin bay planteria canopy, enhanced landscaping throughout the garden centre and a new entrance directly into the canopy, additional car parking and the addition of a new concessions village with capacity for several commercial partners.
Notcutts chief executive Nick Burrows said: “We are delighted to have received consent for this major redevelopment of our Woodbridge garden centre. This is where it all began for Notcutts. Not only was the Woodbridge garden centre a first for Notcutts when it opened in 1958 it was also a significant and pioneering move for garden centres in the UK. It started a trend and model subsequently followed by many others.” Caroline Notcutt recently opened a year round show garden at the Woodbridge garden centre in the company of many local community figures. “Our show gardens are now becoming a feature in all our garden centres,” she
explained. “They are all part of our strategy to give our customers an ever wider visitor experience – another reason to stay longer and visit more often. The show garden is just the beginning and with our exciting new development plans for our Woodbridge garden centre we intend to become the prominent gardening, hospitality and leisure destination in the east of England; a true cornerstone of our community bringing both pride and a boost to the local economy.”
Wyevale Garden Centres agrees sale of eight of its largest garden centres to Blue Diamond
Wyevale Garden Centres (WGC), the UK’s biggest garden centre operator, has announced the sale of a portfolio of eight garden centres to Blue Diamond.
The centres comprise Bicester, Cadbury, Cardiff, Endsleigh, Melbicks, Percy Throwers, Sanders and Weybridge.
WGC chief executive Roger Mclaughlan said: “We are pleased to have agreed the sale of eight of our largest centres to Blue Diamond, one of the UK’s biggest and most experienced garden centre operators. We would like to thank our great colleagues at these centres, who have been central to our turnaround in the past few years, and wish them well for the next stage of their business’s growth and development under Blue Diamond’s ownership.”
Blue Diamond managing director Alan Roper commented: “We are delighted to be acquiring these fantastic centres. Over the next three years we plan to invest £16million to remodel and transform them into
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destination centres modelled around our Redfields Garden & Living Centre in Hampshire, and our Blue Diamond Garden and Home store near Nottingham. We look forward to working with our new colleagues across the centres and welcoming them into the Blue Diamond family.” In separate transactions, WGC has also agreed the sale of two further centres in Alfold and Binfield, to Q Developments and Spitfire Bespoke Homes respectively, as well as the sale of a parcel of excess land adjacent to its Beaconsfield centre to Oakford Homes. All three sites are likely to be redeveloped for residential use.
WGC chief financial officer Anthony Jones said: “These centres were previously identified for potential redevelopment as part of the company’s active portfolio management strategy. We continue to explore all opportunities on non-core centres as part of the ongoing sale process. We are very grateful for the dedication and commitment of the teams at these centres.”
GCU July/August 2018
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