The Garden Centre Association ( GCA ) has recently ( September 2021 ) revealed that a record number of member have received Highly recommend honor after its one-year inspections , which have helped labour standards and profitableness .
One - hundred - and - two garden center of attention were Highly Commended , which is award to those that score 75 % and above in their annual review . Iain Wylie , GCA Chief Executive , said : “ Each year standards are getting better and good , and our members have continued to focus on improving their already in high spirits standards , despite a very difficult last 18 months . We are absolutely thrilled to see so many of our member invite this award as a result of their excellent execution in our 2021 inspections .
“ Our members secernate us how good the one-year inspection are for them . The cognitive operation itself sees an self-governing inspector visiting each year , and as they do n’t fuck when the inspections will be hold up , it means they are always ‘ on their toe ’ to ascertain everything is feed to the highest level at all times . This guarantees that customer service and retail standards are always top - notch throughout the crucial spring , or in this caseful , the summer trading period , as inspection were retard due to Covid .
Increased turnover“If garden centers are mark 75 % or above , as well as have increased standards , members will also see increased turnover and gainfulness , which is a huge asset in being part of the GCA . They can also gain by using these awards to commercialise their marrow – in advertising , publicity , societal medium , and on their websites – and this help sire neat knowingness and additional footfall too .
“ It is bang-up to see more of our phallus receiving these awards , and this is a clear meter reading that GCA membership is help oneself centers to improve year by year . Additional benefits between members admit the sharing of entropy , ideas , and good practice , as most recently exhibit in our regional awards . Being an award - gain ground garden center offers assurance to survive customers and helps to pull new customers too . ”
One of the GCA Inspectors for 2021 was Gordon Emslie , who visited center during the summertime . He tell : “ This year , we see 102 shopping center achieve the extremely Commended certificate . This is the highest number of centers achieve this certificate in any one season , which is owing . This was strictly down to the heavy work of center team in fork out excellent consistency standard throughout all the family .
High level of protocol execution“The one thing that did stand out was the high - horizontal surface execution of Covid-19 compliance protocols across all centers , which go under an monitory case to others in the retail industry . ”
Perrywood Tiptree in Colchester was one of the Destination Garden Centres ( DGC ) to receive an laurels . Hannah Powell , HR & Communications Director , said : “ We are absolutely beguiled to have been awarded ‘ Highly commend ’ in the recent GCA Awards .
“ It was also wonderful to pick up regional prize we have n’t won before – for Outdoor Living , Garden Care , and Environment and Sustainability . We ’ve put a lot of effort into encouraging client to garden more sustainably , particularly in swop to peat - gratuitous . We are extremely majestic of everything the full squad has achieve over the last 12 month . ”
Another center to make the accolade was Cowell ’s Garden Centre in Woolsington , Newcastle upon Tyne . Director Martin Cowell tell : “ After such a difficult 18 months for everyone , it is fantastic to have something to celebrate and receive recognition for the bear on unvoiced piece of work and enthusiasm of our fantastic squad here at Cowell ’s . ”
The top 10 scoring centers will experience , in addition , a ‘ Centre of Excellence ’ Award , and these will be announce during the GCA ’s annual dinner at the 2022 Annual Conference on January 23 – 26 , 2022 , at the Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa in Blackburn , Lancashire . member will be able to book in October 2021 for the event .
