MAGAZINE

It may seem slightly late now – I’ve finally mentally accepted that the impossibly-futuristic sounding ‘2025’ has somehow arrived – but a belated happy ‘new’ year to all! Welcome to our spring edition – and it’s all about the accolades this issue.

Continuing our mission to bring you more interviews with the biggest names from the industry, I recently went west to meet up with one of Wales’ finest operators. And showing just how on the money we are, Pugh’s had just learned that it had prevailed at the GCA’s annual awards as I arrived. You can find out how this family-run institution does it in our Big interview on page 10.

We have also now begun profiling our own 2024 winners – and they don’t come much bigger than British Garden Centres. Its group restaurant director Ricky Towers tells us on page 12: “It was fantastic to be recognised like this. For everyone's hard work over the last six or seven years to be acknowledged was very gratifying, and I was delighted to receive this award.”

If you want to follow in their footsteps, your chance has arrived – as we have launched our 2025 awards. Go to gardencentrecateringawards.co.uk now to enter!