GCA awards top garden centres and Rising Star at 2024 conference

Garden centre teams from across the country are celebrating after receiving awards at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual conference in the Cotswolds yesterday 29 January.

The awards were presented to the member garden centres during a ceremony at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel near Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

GCA chief executive Peter Burks said: “The commitment and hard work our member garden centres put in each year just gets better and better. Through our annual inspections and awards, we know our members have some of the highest standards in our industry.

“They should all be proud of the example they set to others. I’d like to congratulate all our worthy winners this year for their dedication to ensuring the public receives an experience to remember when visiting them. I would also like to thank all our award sponsors in each category for supporting us this year, to Hozelock our sponsors for today’s conference and to our headline sponsors Evergreen Garden Care and Westland Horticulture and secondary main sponsor Smart Garden Products too.”

The full list of winners announced were:

GCA GROW Training Award: Bosworths Garden Centre, Burton Latimer.

Dick Allen Award (Most Improved Garden Centre) winner: Thompson Plants and Garden Welling.

Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Creativity and Innovation winner: Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Creativity and Innovation – Bents Garden & Home.

Customer Service Award – Best Customer Service – sponsored by Worldpay winner: The Old Railway Line Garden Centre (PICTURED ABOVE).

Paul Cooling Environment and Sustainability Award sponsored by Wildlife World winner: Millbrook Garden Company, Gravesend.

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer winners: Destination Garden Centre Category – Bents Garden and Home; Garden Centre Category – Klondyke Garden Wise, Dumfries.

The Indoor Lifestyle Award – Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer sponsored by Merzario winners: Destination Garden Centre Category – Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree; Garden Centre Category – Perrywood Garden Centre, Sudbury.

The Outdoor Living Award – Best Outdoor Living Retailer – sponsored by Woodlodge winners: Destination Garden Centre Category – Garsons Garden Centre, Esher; Garden Centre Category – Canterbury Garden Centre.

NEW for 2024 – Ian Boardman Indoor Plants Cup winners: Destination Garden Centre Category – Cowell’s Garden Centre; Garden Centre Category – Knights Plant Centre, Betchworth and Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe.

NEW for 2024 – Best Food Hall/Farm Shop Award winners: Destination Garden Centre Category – Bellis Brothers Farm Shop & Garden Centre; Garden Centre Category – Squires Garden Centre, Frensham.

Catering Award sponsored by Clifton Coffee Roasters winners: Destination Garden Centre Category – Ruxley Manor Garden Centre; Garden Centre Category – Knights Plant Centre, Betchworth.

Ruxley Rose Award for Best Overall Plantaria sponsored by Wyevale Nurseries winners: Destination Garden Centre Category – Cowell’s Garden Centre; Garden Centre Category – Squires Garden Centre, Hersham.

Christmas Competition sponsored by Gisela Graham winners: Destination Garden Centre Category – Garsons Garden Centre, Esher; Garden Centre Category – Castle Gardens, part of The Gardens Group.

Westland Horticulture sponsored Rising Stars winner: Haydon Walters – Thatcham Garden Centre (British Garden Centres).

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