industry news
Commercial director departs Notcutts
Notcutts commercial director Mark Wootton will be leaving the garden centre business in May to pursue other opportunities, the company has announced. Mark has decided that the time has come for him to seek new challenges and he leaves the business with Notcutts’ best wishes.
Mark has led a number of areas within Notcutts including buying and merchandising, distribution and logistics, marketing and e-commerce. Mark has also represented Notcutts on the HTA and has worked with the RHS on a number of community engagement projects, including the schools programme.
Notcutts chief executive Nick Burrows commented: “I would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Mark for the contribution he has made to Notcutts over the last ten years.”
Sarah Silverwood is set to join Notcutts as interim commercial director and will take over responsibility for areas previously covered by Mark Wootton. Sarah is an experienced interim commercial director having fulfilled assignments with Dreams, Topps Tiles, Pizza Hut and Wyevale. Prior to this, Sarah held strategic and trading director roles at Habitat, Homebase and Argos. Nick Burrows added: “We are delighted to welcome Sarah to Notcutts. We are pleased that Sarah, with such a depth of experience and rich pedigree, has decided to join our team. This is an exciting time in Notcutts as we move forward with our five year plan.”
Berwick Garden Centre
acquires Plantsplus Berwick Garden Centre has announced that four years after building Dunbar Garden Centre on a green-field site, the company has expanded once more with the recent purchase of Plantsplus.
A former retail nursery on the outskirts of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Plantsplus was purchased by the company in November 2016. Dunbar Garden Centre manager Nick Donaghey (pictured) commented: “This marks an exciting change in direction for the company. Now we will be able to use the extensive growing facilities at Plantsplus to produce plants to our own specification.”
Cindy Redfearn, former manager of Berwick Garden Centre has, more recently, become general manager of the expanded business. She has
now been tasked with building the link between a production nursery and two retail establishments. Plantsplus is in the process of transition between both plant production and retail garden centre. Planning permission has been granted for retail use and a coffee shop (seating 130), disabled access and enhanced car parking and shopping facilities.
Cindy added: “This is an ideal opportunity for the three businesses to work together. They each have their own identity. Because we now have a viable horticultural enterprise, I’m looking forward to all three sharing the growing facility.”
Burgon & Ball Groundbreaker spades
used for historic champagne occasion Garden tools and accessories manufacturer Burgon & Ball has helped world-famous Champagne house Taittinger make history by providing the spades to break first ground at a new vineyard in Kent – the first planting in the UK by a Grande Marque Champagne house. The groundbreaking ceremony took place in early May 2017, with a view to producing premium English sparkling wines from the Domaine Evremond site near Chilham in Kent. Champagne Taittinger approached Burgon & Ball after a recommendation from the Royal Horticultural Society. The aptly-named Groundbreaker spade was selected for the ceremony. The historic first UK vines were planted by Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, president of Champagne Taittinger, accompanied by
his wife and daughter, and representatives from Taittinger’s UK agency and partner Hatch Mansfield. In addition, over 200 guests planted their own vines with their individually numbered souvenir trowels. Burgon & Ball managing director Heather Culpan added: “It’s wonderful that Champagne Taittinger and its partners are embarking upon this project to create new premium English sparkling wines, with an outstanding French heritage. We are thrilled that our beautiful Groundbreaker spades have been able to play a small part in the day.”
Squire’s donates carrier bag charge proceeds to Greenfingers
Squire’s Garden Centres have announced that they are donating £3,847.82 to the charity Greenfingers. This is the amount of money raised from the government 5p carrier bag charge since April 2016. Squire’s customers have bought over 96,000 5p carrier bags in the last year, which has generated the money that is being given to Greenfingers, a charity which creates magical gardens at children’s hospices around the country.
Deputy chairman Sarah Squire commented: “We are delighted to pass on the proceeds
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from the government 5p carrier bag charge to Greenfingers. They create such amazing gardens for children and their families to enjoy at hospices around the UK, at a time when these families are facing huge challenges.” Greenfingers head of fundraising and communications Linda Petrons added: “We are extremely grateful to Squire’s for choosing to support us this way. This generous donation will help us reach our target of £1 million as part of our ‘A Million Moments’ appeal. Through the appeal we aim to bring the gift of a garden to at least 5,000 children and their
families who spend time in hospices throughout the UK.”
The 5p carrier bag charge came into effect on October 5 2015. Since then Squire’s have donated a total of £5,676.90 from the carrier bag levy to Greenfingers.
GCU May 2017
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