Topic: Garden Centres

[tricia]

Garden Centres can now open under strict new rules!

I found this important piece of news in the last paragraph of an article on the BBC website about buying and selling houses of all things,  almost as an afterthought! Haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else.

I'm housebound myself,  but I'm sure a lot of people will be happy that they are opening before it's too late

Tricia 

[gray1720]

I think I'll wait for the rush to die down before I go, especially as our preferred local *nursery* - yes, an old-fashioned plant nursery, without designer outlet, antiques centre or pet shop - has a pinch point in its layout that will make keeping 2m apart jolly interesting.

Adrian

[ACE]

A bit late for me, all my stuff is planted and growing. Really though the only times I go is to get some seed spuds or I might have got some compost before I started making my own. Seeds I can get on line, extra flowering plants come from cuttings or division, broken tools replaced from the iron mongers. No need to play Russian roulette  just to go somewhere different.

[BarriedaleNick]

My lovely local shop is on its knees - it is family run so supports quite a few people and families.  They have been doing click and collect but running at 20% turnover.  They were concerned about opening under distancing rules so we will see if they decide to open or not..

[ancellsfarmer]

My lovely local shop is on its knees - it is family run so supports quite a few people and families.  They have been doing click and collect but running at 20% turnover.  They were concerned about opening under distancing rules so we will see if they decide to open or not..

Once you know, I am sure in would be in order to publish their location details. I am sure that there are many 'undeclared' followers of this site who choose not to post.Some may be 'newbies' this year who may not know of the quality service and advice available. We all have a duty to support local, buy British and stay safe. Simply bankrolling multi-nationals could be said to be the root cause of this episode.

[Obelixx]

Over here, in our area at least, they've been open a few weeks but only for sales of plants, seeds and products for the potager and/or domestic animal feeds and so on.   Numbers in at any one time are restricted, trollies are disinfected between customers, one way system in and thru and back to cash desks, payment only with debit or credit card and screens around cashiers.  Any staff out in the store wear masks.   Much like supermarkets.

No doubt people bought other goodies too but at risk of heavy fines if stopped by police and found with a car full of garden furniture/BBQ/ornamentals etc.

As of the 11th, plant nurseries, gardening and husbandry suppliers can open all day as long as they observe the distancing rules and customers are supposed to wear their own masks - not surgical standard but will prevent or at least reduce their own transmission of disease should they be infected without symptoms.

[BarriedaleNick]

Once you know, I am sure in would be in order to publish their location details. I am sure that there are many 'undeclared' followers of this site who choose not to post.Some may be 'newbies' this year who may not know of the quality service and advice available. We all have a duty to support local, buy British and stay safe. Simply bankrolling multi-nationals could be said to be the root cause of this episode.

Agree 100%
I have been shouting about them on the local forum I help to moderate and they are well liked in the area!  Hopefully they can weather the storm but of course Spring is like Christmas for them - most of the year's business is done in this quater..
Shout out to Shannons Garden Center - Forest Hill!!

[Palustris]

Great is it not? All the Nurseries round here are open. Only one problem, they all involve driving into Wales, which is not allowed. In fact apart from going South East from here, every road goes through Wales. Our 2 mile walk for exercise is partly in Wales.Stupidity gone viral.

[gray1720]

Should you be in the Oxford area, you should check Bunkers Hill nursery near Kidlington - a proper old fashioned nursery mostly selling plants. They are currently running on click and collect or booking a time slot, I suspect because of the pinch point I mentioned above, but they are open.

Palustris, I feel for you - it just makes the pillockry so much more obvious. I have considerable concerns about how early we are relaxing lockdown, and wonder whether the Welsh Assembly might have the right idea, but...
 
Adrian