GCA Crowns 2024 Midlands, Wales And West Winners

STAFF at garden centres across the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Midlands, Wales & West region are celebrating after scooping awards during a presentation yesterday afternoon and evening at Melbicks Garden Centre (Tuesday, July 9, 2024).

Garden Centre of the Year winners were Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category, Old Railway Line Garden Centre, Garden Centre (GC) category and Poundbury Gardens, Local Garden Centre (LGC).

Peter Burks, GCA CEO, said: “Our Midlands, Wales & West regional awards meeting was a wonderful event and I’d like to thank all those who attended. It was the first event of this type for this new region, which we created earlier this year by consolidating our previous six areas into four. It’s also the first time our new LGC category has been used for awards.

“A big ‘thank you’ goes to our fantastic hosts for the evening – the team at Blue Diamond’s Melbicks Garden Centre at Coleshill, Birmingham. They provided a wonderful welcome and fabulous hospitality.

“During the event, it was great to hear our Inspector, Colin Farquhar’s feedback from his visits to this area’s centres. Members can now take this essential information back with them to their teams, celebrate and give out the praise due and make any changes needed as well.”

Colin was responsible for inspecting member garden centres in the Midlands, Wales & West area across a 12-week period where he made unannounced visits.

He said: “This year’s inspections identified centres significantly improving their environmental and sustainability scores, increasing the availability of local sourced products, highlighting recycling opportunities and promoting sustainable gardening. This was brilliant to see and this attitude needs now to be reinforced in 2025 so we continue as an industry to make a difference. 

“It was great to see centres investing for the future by improving existing departments, as well as adding extra space and new features. 

“People make the difference in garden centres. This is both the workforce and the customers. It was pleasing on my visits to see both groups interacting and creating an environment in which people genuinely seemed to be enjoying themselves. While some shopping can be seen as a chore, garden centre shopping should be viewed as entertainment and one in which all participants want to be there. I was so heartened on my visits to see this in action.” 

Image : The team from Old Railway Line Garden Centre, who were named Garden Centre of the Year (GC) and won other awards too.

The full results, including runners up, where relevant, for the Midlands, Wales & West region GCA area awards are as follows for the DGC, GC and LGC categories: 

Garden Centre of the Year:

DCG 

1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
2. Gates Garden Centre
3. Webbs of Wychbold

GC

1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
2. Castle Gardens – The Gardens Group
3. Planters Garden Centre, Bretby

LGC

1. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
2. Brimsmore Gardens – The Gardens Group
3. Pugh’s Garden Village, Wenvoe

The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity:

1. Castle Gardens – The Gardens Group
2. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
3. Old Railway Line Garden Centre 

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre:

• Pyle Garden Centre 

Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service:

1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
2. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
3. Pugh’s Radyr 

The Paul Cooling Award for Environment and Sustainability:

1. Castle Gardens – The Gardens Group
2. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
3. Planters Garden Centre, Bretby

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer:

DGC

1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
2. Gates Garden Centre
3. Blue Diamond Cadbury Garden Centre

GC

1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
2. Pugh’s Radyr
3. Planters Garden Centre, Bretby

LGC

1. Pugh’s Garden Village, Wenvoe
2. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
3. Smith’s Garden Centre, Baginton

The Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant:

DGC 

1. East Bridgford Garden Centre – Blue Diamond
2. Gates Garden Centre
3. Whitehall Garden Centre, Lacock

GC

1. Byrkley Park Garden Centre – Klondyke
2. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
3. Pacific Nurseries

LGC

1. Smith’s Garden Centre, Baginton & Pugh’s Garden Village, Wenvoe – JOINT WINNERS
2. Raglan Garden Centre
3. Orchard Park Garden Centre – Blue Diamond

Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer:

DGC 

1. Gates Garden Centre
2. East Bridgford Garden Centre – Blue Diamond
3. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth

GC

1. Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne
2. Planters Garden Centre, Bretby
3. Castle Gardens – The Gardens Group

LGC

1. Pugh’s Garden Village, Wenvoe
2. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
3. Orchard Park Garden Centre – Blue Diamond

Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer:

DGC

1. East Bridgford Garden Centre – Blue Diamond
2. Melbicks Garden Centre – Blue Diamond
3. Gates Garden Centre

GC

1. Planters Garden Centre, Bretby
2. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
3. Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne

LGC

1. Raglan Garden Centre
2. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
3. Pugh’s Garden Village, Wenvoe

Ian Boardman Award for Best Indoor Plants Retailer

DGC

• East Bridgford Garden Centre – Blue Diamond

GC

• Castle Gardens – The Gardens Group

LGC

• Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group

Plantaria (Ruxley Rose):

DGC

1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
2. Gates Garden Centre
3. Sanders Garden World – Blue Diamond

GC

1. Castle Gardens – The Gardens Group
2. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
3. Planters Garden Centre, Bretby

LGC

1. Brimsmore Gardens – The Gardens Group
2. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
3. Smith’s Garden Centre, Baginton

Food Hall/Farm Shop Award

DGC

• Gates Garden Centre

GC

• Old Railway Line Garden Centre

LGC

• Pugh’s Garden Village, Wenvoe

Image: The team from Poundbury Gardens, who were named Local Garden Centre of the Year (LGC), and won other awards too, with GCA CEO Peter Burks (centre) and GCA Inspector Colin Farquhar (back left).

The GCA represents more than 200 garden centres nationwide.

Through sharing information and its inspection programme the GCA helps members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.

For further information, please visit www.gca.org.uk.

Source : GCA

Main image : The team from Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth celebrating their awards on the night, which included Garden Centre of the Year (DGC), with GCA CEO Peter Burks (centre).

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