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.”

The two overall national winners will be announced later this month and presented with their awards at our annual conference in January.

The results are as follows for the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) and Garden Centre (GC) categories: Bents (DGC) in Cheshire and Fron Goch (GC) in North Wales came top in the North West. Garsons Esher (DGC) in Surrey and Castle Gardens (GC), Dorset were the winners in the South Thames region.

Meanwhile in the Wales and West area, Whitehall Garden Centre (DGC) at Lacock in Wiltshire and Raglan (GC) in Wales are in pole position with Van Hage Great Amwell (DGC) in Hertfordshire and Squires Shepperton in Middlesex coming out top in the North Thames region.

In the North East, Langlands Shiptonthorpe (DGC) in Yorkshire and Armitage’s (GC) Birchencliffe Garden Centre both in West Yorkshire came first and in the Midlands the winners were Webbs (DGC) in Worcestershire and Fairways Ashbourne (GC) in Derbyshire.

In Northern Ireland the overall winner was Creative Gardens Galgorm Castle (GC) in County Antrim.

Iain added: “Once again, congratulations to everyone who took part and good luck in the finals to all our regional winners.

“The garden centres are judged on the innovation, inspiration and excitement created from the way their Christmas products are displayed. The range of products available, accessibility, how easy it is for customers to find and select products and ‘wow factor’ are also taken into consideration.

“We will be announcing the overall winners later this month and they will then receive their prizes at our annual conference, which takes place at the De Vere Carden Park in Chester from January 25 until 28.”