the big interview


‘You can’t be frightened of hard work’


Gordale Home and Garden Centremanaging directors Peter and Jill Nicholson discuss being independent, rates rises and learning from mistakes


Plants remain a core part of Gordale’s offering, with a large outdoor area and plans to increase covered outdoor space


he north west of England reaffirmed its position as a hotbed of quality garden centre retailing at the Garden Centre Association (GCA) conference in January 2017, with three of the top 10 Garden Centres of Excellence representing the region.


T


Gordale Home and Garden Centre achieved its highest ever result in the annual GCA inspection process, and managing directors Peter and Jill Nicholson are understandably pleased with the performance. However, that doesn’t mean that they are content to rest on their laurels and there are always new challenges to face.


The industry has changed a lot since Gordale Nurseries came into existence in 1948, and the business has adapted along with it.


4 | www.gardencentreupdate.com Peter joined the family business as a 22 year


old, coming up for 40 years ago. “As a chap from another family owned garden centre said to me, ‘We’re lifers,’” he laughs. “I worked in Holland for a year, then went to


Pershore College for three years, then worked at Wyevale Nurseries for a year before coming back. You can’t help but be a bit green when you grow up in this sort of environment. “It was a good business in the 70s. My dad


was a relaxed type of person, so we didn’t have any horrendous conflicts, and after a couple of years he’d basically let me do what I wanted to do. He’d still advise, ‘I’d do things this way if I were you…’ He was quite glad to not have the hassle of running a garden centre by the time he left the business, but he was still around. He was very good at sorting


out the payroll and that side of the business, so I let him keep doing all of that. I’ve always been better at the practical things, loading lorries and sorting where things go. Fortunately, Jill is very academic as well, and a great person to have. Nothing gets past her.” He continues: “The business was founded in


’48, so by the 70s it was one of the best garden centres in the country. By the late 60s we were probably what you’d call a ‘garden centre’ – we sold a lot of plants, garden supplies, fertilisers and all those sorts of things. We sold Christmas trees, and we had the café.” Having a café on site has always been a


handy draw, Peter adds. “Yes, all these people are in the café rather than out in the store, but at least they’re here,” he says. “You’ve got


GCU May 2017


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24