N. East & N. West regional winners unveiled

We revealed the winners of our North East and North West regions at a presentation last night (Tuesday, July 15, 2014) at the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) garden Harlow Carr near Harrogate.

Cowell’s was named Best Garden Centre (GC) and Armitage’s Pennine Garden Centre Best Destination Garden Centre (DGC) in the North East. Burleydam scooped Best Garden Centre and Barton Grange Best Destination Garden Centre in the North West.

We would like to congratulate all our members who picked up awards. It is a reflection of all their hard work and dedication to excellence, and they should all be very proud of their achievements. Thank you also to the Harlow Carr team for your hospitality and to Langlands Garden for providing a barbecue after the awards presentation, it was greatly appreciated.

There were lots of other awards presented by our inspector, Liz Hutson, who attended the ceremony, and it was an inspiring and motivational event for everyone involved.

The full results for the North East and North West area awards are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:

North East

Best Garden Centre: Cowell’s Garden Centre (GC) and Armitage’s Pennine Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Customer Service: Armitage’s Pennine Garden Centre

Best Environment and Community: Harlow Carr Plant Centre and Gift Shop

Best Creativity and Innovation: Cowell’s Garden Centre

Most Improved: Harlow Carr Plant Centre and Gift Shop

Best Plant Area: Cowell’s Garden Centre (GC) and Armitage’s Pennine Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Restaurant: Armitage’s Birchencliffe Garden Centre (GC) and Armitage’s Pennine Garden Centre (DGC)

Garden Products Retailer: Cowell’s Garden Centre (GC) and Langlands Garden Centre – Shiptonthorpe (DGC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle: Harlow Carr Plant Centre and Gift Shop (GC) and Armitage’s Pennine Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Outdoor Living: The Klondyke Group – Beverley Garden Centre (GC) and Armitage’s Pennine Garden Centre (DGC)

North West

Best Garden Centre: Burleydam Garden Centre (GC) and Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Customer Service: Barton Grange Garden Centre

Best Environment and Community: Barton Grange Garden Centre

Best Creativity and Innovation: Barton Grange Garden Centre

Most Improved: Bridgemere Garden World

Best Plant Area: All-in-One Garden Centre (GC) and Bents Garden & Home (DGC)

Best Restaurant: Fron Goch Garden Centre and Bents Garden & Home (DGC)

Garden Products Retailer: Klondyke Group – Lady Green Garden Centre (GC) and Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle: Fairways Garden Centre – Macclesfield (GC) and Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Outdoor Living: Moreton Park Garden Centre (GC) and Klondyke Group – Houghton Hall Garden Centre (DGC)

The awards are decided by the results of the annual inspections, which take place at all our member garden centres. Garden centres have no advance warning about when their inspection will take place and they do not have the option to turn away the inspector.

The Best Garden Centre and Best Destination Garden Centre awards went to the members that scored the highest overall mark in the area in their annual inspections.

The top scoring centres overall, nationally, in both the Destination Garden Centre and Garden Centre categories will be re-inspected before the titles of Garden Centre of the Year and Destination Garden Centre of the Year are announced at our annual conference taking place in January 2015.

Our next awards’ night is for the Wales & West region on Thursday, July 17 at Hilliers Garden Centre in Bath.