Dobbies To Create Around 1000 Jobs Over Next Five Years

Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow, visited the new little dobbies in London to hear how they are creating new jobs and getting involved in the Plant for our Planet campaign.

The garden retailer is opening two new ‘little dobbies’ in London which will create new, local jobs and help connect people from urban areas with nature.

Nationally, the business is set to create around 1000 jobs over the next five years, including 150 apprenticeships to support young people enter horticulture, hospitality and retail industries.

Plant for our Planet

To help the nation build back greener and step up its efforts to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, The Government recently launched ‘Plant for our Planet’, a campaign to inspire people, businesses and communities across the country to plant more trees and flowers.

The campaign is backed by several green organisations, including Horticultural Trades Association, Royal Horticultural Society, The Wildlife Trusts, Woodland Trust and National Trust, and now Dobbies Garden Centres joined the campaign.

Graeme Jenkins, CEO at Dobbies, said, “As we continue to grow, we expect to create around 1000 new jobs across the UK in the next five years. A number of these will be in little dobbies, our new smaller format stores which we have developed to meet the growing demand to shop local. At the same time, little dobbies supports our aim of attracting new gardeners and making gardening accessible for all.”

HTA growth strategy to be launched in September

James Barnes, Chairman of the Horticultural Trades Association, said, “This jobs announcement by Dobbies shows how our sector is vibrant and committed to expansion. As an industry we will launch our ‘growth strategy’ in September.

"This will be an exemplar on how government and industry can come together to develop a ‘green economy’. Removing barriers to growth can unleash the full opportunity of the British horticulture and landscaping industry - creating jobs and investment in local communities, helping to tackle climate change and achieving net zero emissions.”

Source : Reproduced with permission from George Bullivant at Gardenforum

For all the very latest news and intelligence on the UK's largest home improvement and garden retailers, sign up for the Insight DIY weekly newsletter.