Our members say May (2014) has started
well with ‘no records being broken’ during the first Bank Holiday of the month
but with business continuing at ‘good levels’.
We asked our members to give feedback
from last weekend’s trading to see how the industry was fairing in its
generally busiest month of the year.
Iain
Wylie, our Chief Executive, explained: “The members who contacted us said ‘no
records (were) broken but trade had continued at good levels’.
“For
perfect shopping weather it could have been warmer, they said, but overall no
rain, with sun for much of the weekend across the country, meant it was a
relatively positive one, giving a solid Bank Holiday weekend performance.”
Those
that got in touch said generally Sunday and Monday were the better days and
that sales were in line with Bank Holiday expectations.
David
Little, Managing Director of Poplars Garden Centre in Bedfordshire, said: “The
first May Bank Holiday in 2014 was a real gardeners’ weekend. While not a
record breaker, we are very satisfied with the sales we recorded. It was
fantastic to see trolleys full of plants going through our tills. Just about
everyone must be growing veg this year – judging by the number of tomato plants
we sold!”
Plants
were also selling well in other parts of the country too.
General
Manger for the Trelawney@Wadebridge and Trelawney@Ashford garden centres, Peter
Burks said: “Very few holidaymakers were around in either Devon or Cornwall as
Easter and this Bank Holiday were so close together. The good weather Saturday
and Sunday sent everyone off to other events, but on Monday all our regulars
were out and in a gardening mood as the weather wasn’t as nice. Plants and the
restaurants did well.”
Meanwhile,
Haskins Garden Centres in Dorset, Southampton and West Sussex said gardeners
were still holding back.
Julian
Winfield, Chief Executive of Haskins, said: “Bedding plants sales were poor and
furniture sales have also been poor during the last week, with availability
hitting sales.”
How
did you do at the weekend? What were your bestsellers? How are you gearing up
for the next Bank Holiday?
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