Wales & West regional winners unveiled

Our winners in the Wales and West region were revealed at a presentation this evening (Thursday, July 17, 2014) at Hillier Garden Centre, Bath.

The Old Railway Line Garden Centre in Wales was named Best Garden Centre (GC) and Trelawney@Wadebridge Garden Centre in Cornwall scooped Best Destination Garden Centre (DGC).

We had a wonderful, lively awards’ evening and I would like to congratulate all our members who took home coveted GCA awards. They are a testament to the hard work of all those involved and their pursuit of excellence, and we’re very proud of their achievements. Well done to everyone and a big thank you to Hilliers for being our hosts for the event.

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

Best Garden Centre: The Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC) and Trelawney@Wadebridge Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Customer Service: The Old Railway Line Garden Centre

Best Environment and Community: Whitehall Garden Centre – Lacock

Best Creativity and Innovation: Whitehall Garden Centre – Lacock

Most Improved: Whitehall Garden Centre – Lacock

Best Plant Area: The Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC) and Trelawney@Wadebridge Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Restaurant: The Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC) and Endsleigh Garden and Leisure (DGC)

Garden Products Retailer: The Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC) and Trelawney@Wadebridge Garden Centre (DGC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle: The Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC) and Cadbury Garden and Leisure (DGC)

Best Outdoor Living: Raglan Garden Centre (GC) and Whitehall Garden Centre – Lacock (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 three 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 the our annual conference taking place in January 2015.

The next awards’ night is for our Midlands region at Klondyke’s Byrkley Park Garden Centre, Burton upon Trent, on Monday, July 21 with, once again, the presiding inspector, Andy Campbell.