Top TV comedian to host our awards dinner

TOP RADIO and TV comedian Justin Moorhouse will be appearing at our conference next month (January 25-28, 2015).

The talented entertainer will attend our annual dinner on Tuesday, January 27 at the De Vere Carden Park in Chester to host the awards.

Justin Moorhouse is an established favourite on the UK comedy circuit, with more than a decade’s experience as a comedian. 

His comedy has taken him on tour to Australia, China, Japan and the Middle East and we’re very much looking forward to him appearing at our annual conference this year.

National GCA Christmas display winners revealed

BENTS and Castle Gardens are the national winners of our annual Christmas competition (December, 2014).

The garden centres were judged to have the best Christmas displays in the UK and will be presented with their awards at our annual conference next month.

Iain Wylie, our Chief Executive, said: “We announced the regional winners of our Christmas display competition to members at the end of November. Following this, the area winners were all judged for a second time and these two national winners were selected this week.

“We’d like to congratulate Bents in Cheshire who were the stars on the tree in the Destination Garden Centre category, and Castle Gardens in Dorset who scooped the prize in the Garden Centre category.” 

Economist to speak at our annual conference

A leading economist will be presenting to delegates at our conference next month (January 25-28, 2015).

Roger Martin-Fagg will be speaking at the event on Tuesday, January 27.

Our Chief Executive, Iain Wylie said: “Roger began his career as an Economist with the New Zealand Treasury in 1972, then as Economist to the Air Transport and Travel Industry Industrial Training Board. In 1975 he was asked to design and run a postgraduate programme in Airline Management for British Airways, which ran very successfully for 12 years at Thames Valley University.

Christmas and catering come out on top in November

Garden centre shoppers were busy preparing for the festive season last month (November, 2014) according to our Barometer of Trade (BoT) results.

Compared to November 2013 the results showed Christmas sales up 23.53%, catering sales 9.71% up, outdoor plants up 10.9% and houseplants doing well at 11.88% up.

It’s great to see that Christmas and catering were the real winners last month and that’s no surprise as people prepare for the biggest day of the year.

Garden centres have become real destinations to do your Christmas shopping in and people often like to stop off at a café or restaurant for lunch or a spot of tea as they go.

Other good performers during the month included furniture and barbecues up 5.54% and gifts at 7.15% up.

Our BoT reports are compiled using actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement. They are made available mid-month following the end of the prior month after all member garden centres have submitted their results.

Top boss who headed up Porsche GB to speak at our conference

KEVIN Gaskell will be one of the headline speakers at our annual conference next month (January 25-28, 2015).

The businessman and entrepreneur who ran Porsche GB Limited in the early 1990s will present to the conference at the De Vere Carden Park in Chester on the Tuesday, January 27.

Kevin is an energetic and passionate leader with a proven record of managing growth, driving successful turnarounds and delivering substantial improvements in companies already considered to be market leaders.

Recognised as one of the most capable managers of his generation he qualified as an engineer and accountant. He completed an MBA before starting his career in the construction sector before moving into the chemical industry and then to the automotive sector.

In 1987 he joined Porsche GB Limited and four years later, at the age of 32, was appointed UK Managing Director. He later went on to become a dot com entrepreneur.

GCA garden centres dazzle with Christmas displays

THE REGIONAL winners of our annual Christmas display competition have been revealed this week (December 9, 2014).

Thirteen garden centres have been named as having the best Christmas overall displays in our individual regions.

Iain Wylie, our Chief Executive said: “I am delighted to announce the area winners of our Christmas competition. The winning centres are now being judged by Neville Stein from Ovation Business Consultants to determine the national winners. Congratulations to all the winners so far and thank you to everyone that entered, and to our band of judges who volunteered to visit them.”

Learn how to achieve the impossible at GCA Conference

A professor who has helped celebrities complete various physical challenges will be sharing his secrets on achieving the seemingly impossible at our annual conference in January (2015).

Professor Greg Whyte OBE, who has led 18 Celebrity Comic Relief Challenges raising more than £33 million for charity, will be speaking at the conference on Monday, January 26.

We are really pleased Greg will be joining us and sharing his secrets on achieving the seemingly impossible. He’s had a fascinating career, working with some well-known celebrities including training David Walliams for the cross-channel and Thames swims and helping Eddie Izzard run 43 marathons in 51 days.

During his presentation Greg will be showing us that success is rarely a chance event and that it is all about having the right strategy as well as delivering to plan. We can’t wait to hear what he as to say.