Encouraged by commentators outside the production industry, we are continuing to tell our story changing trading priorities in this ‘unprecedented’ year and sales season, massively affected by the ramifications of the Covid 19 crisis. Garden Centres have re-opened and those businesses that have managed to continue some trade via direct sales, online sites and local deliveries can breath a sigh of relief that these options are open to them once more. Yet relief has not been at hand and growers have had to work much harder than even in a ‘normal’ frenetic bedding season as demand was raised through the roof due to the inability of opening during the ‘lockdown’ and trading was threatened.
“Dealing with the demand post-lockdown.”, the second episode in this series of podcasts from the BOA, chaired once more by Wayne Brough of AHDB is a discussion with Mike Smith of WD Smith & Son and Meadow Croft Garden Centre in Essex and Robin Squance, production manager of Brookhouse Nursery and supplier to Barton Grange Garden Centre in Lancashire.
Mike Smith
Wayne Brough 
Robin Squance
You can hear more of their experiences and what they are planning for the next weeks and months by listing to the podcast here, click on the links below.
Our third episode of the podcast was prompted by thoughts of what will happen next, as we all know that the spring and early summer trading is crucial for the ornamentals business as that is when the majority of the nation get out and start to garden for the year. In episode 2, Mike noted that he has reason to be optimistic about the future as there are new gardeners around as a result of this season. They can be ‘cultivated’ and be a key part of developing the market in subsequent years. So, “Managing your business in the ‘new normal’.”, the third in this series gave Neville Stein, Business Management Consultant and Greg Hill, Managing Director of Hill’s Plants, the opportunity to look forward to what is going to be a most challenging second half of the year. How will the cash flow, labour supply, client stability, production planning and government support factor in to the trading landscape?
Greg Hill 
Neville Stein
Listen to Greg and Neville reply to questions posed by Wayne Brough, covering these issues.
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