Latest news with #gardencentre
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Paul & Paula's Patch
Jerry visits a bush block in Brisbane's south-west has been transformed into a grand cottage garden. Owners: Paula and Paul Herbert Location: Mount Crosby, Qld, on Yuggera Country Climate Zone: Subtropical Garden Established: More than 15 years ago Style: Grand cottage garden Key Features Jerry first notices the lovely balance of light and shade in the garden. All the elements of design are used here: repetition, colour, texture, unity and space. There are many nectar-producing plants, which bring in lots of birds. Grass trees were planted as tiny seedlings about 15 years ago and are now about 1.5m tall. Other strappy plants include a variegated lomandra, miscanthus, carex and gymea lilies. Paula has loved gardening since she was a little child and now has Paul hooked, too – this is the third garden they've created together. Paula has the ideas and Paul puts them into action! The garden is a showpiece for Paula's creativity too; she is a painter and clay artist. Paula has a particular passion for Casuarina 'Green Wave' and surprises Paul by admitting there are 90 of them in the garden. While she has no horticultural training, she got on so well with the staff at the local garden centre that she was offered a job. The open spaces and borders are defined by hedges, but few are in straight lines. Being at a slight elevation and away from the coastal humidity, they are able to grow Manchurian pears and other deciduous trees. A downside of their location is the strong south-easterly summer wind, however the hedging helps reduce its impact. Some of the hedges are planted with mock orange, which is a serious weed in the area, as birds carry the seed into the bush, but the Herberts are diligent in trimming off any seed heads that form. An old kids' cubby house has been transformed into a chook shed, complete with a bird 'chandelier'. GRASS TREE Xanthorrhoea sp. VARIEGATED MAT-RUSH Lomandra cv. CHINESE SILVER GRASS Miscanthus sinensis 'Flamingo' * JAPANESE SEDGE Carex 'Feather Falls' GYMEA LILY Doryanthes excelsa SWAMP SHE-OAK Casuarina glauca 'Green Wave' * MOCK ORANGE Murraya paniculata * ROSEMARY Salvia rosmarinus cv. * Check before planting: this may be an environmental weed in your area
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
‘Charming' family-run garden centre to close after over 100 years in business as shoppers say ‘you'll be missed!'
SHOPPERS were devastated to learn a "charming" family-run garden centre is set to close after 105 years. Locals cried "you'll be missed" after the owners made their sad announcement this week. 4 4 4 Webb's, located in Bearwood, West Mids., has been passed down through five generations who have lovingly run the gardening shop since 1921. Pauline and Steve Webb shared the update on Facebook, which came as a shock to locals. They said: "After more than a century of serving the Bearwood community, Webb's of Bearwood, the cherished garden centre and gift shop located at 64–66 Three Shires Oak Road in Smethwick, is closing its doors. "Owners Pauline and Steve have announced their retirement, bringing to an end a remarkable family-run business that has been part of local life since 1921. "Since 1921 FIVE generations have worked at the shop, beginning with Oliver John Webb passing to John William Webb & Jenny Webb. "Pauline and Steve brought up Samantha & Adam at the shop, and now Adam & Hannah with Lillian & Oliver... "Webb's has long been a go-to destination for gardening enthusiasts and gift seekers alike. "The shop was renowned for its wide selection of seasonal plants, perennials, houseplants, and gardening tools, as well as its charming Walled Garden Gift Shop, which offered unique gifts, festive decorations and Christmas Trees. "Customers frequently praised the shop for its friendly service and high-quality offerings. "The closure of Webb's marks not just the end of a business, but the conclusion of a beloved community institution. Popular retailer to RETURN 13 years after collapsing into administration and shutting 236 stores "Its presence on the high street will be deeply missed by locals who valued its personal touch and commitment to quality. "Pauline and Steve would like to thank all of the family and friends who have ever stepped in to help in busy times... working at Webbs makes you part of the family! "As Pauline and Steve step into retirement, the community reflects on the legacy they've built over the past century. "Their dedication and passion have left an indelible mark on Bearwood, and they leave behind a legacy of excellence and community spirit. "The doors will close for the last time on Saturday 28th June.... "Thank you for your custom over the years, Pauline, Steve & the rest of the Webb/Davis family x" One customer hailed the garden shop and penned: "Webbs is a delightful small garden centre, full of everything a gardener or beginner needs. "The owners are always helpful and Pauline has an exquisite taste in plants that she orders in." Another wrote: "Wishing you both a Happy & long Retirement you both fully deserve it!" A third added: "I can't imagine Bearwood without you guys." "You're going to be missed so much. What a fantastic family history. Enjoy your retirement," penned another fan. "End of an era. All the best for your retirement," wrote someone else. This follows a string of Dobbies garden centre closures this year. A map has revealed where eight branches are shutting down, including in Rugby, Stapleton and Leicester, as well as Morpeth, Havant and Aylesbury. The gardening specialist closed 16 stores as part of a restructuring plan late last year. The eight branches confirmed to be closing this year, which The Sun exclusively revealed, have already started shutting. Four stores in Rugby, Stapleton, Morpeth and Havant all shut on January 19, while a fifth closed in Hare Hatch on January 31. A store in Leicester pulled down its shutters for the final time on February 14 while two others in Northampton and Aylesbury are shutting, but don't have closure dates confirmed yet. Dobbies is not the only DIY or garden centre retailer struggling across the UK. High inflation coupled with a squeeze on consumers' finances has meant people have less money to spend in the shops. Why are retailers closing shops? EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre's decline. The Sun's business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors. In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping. Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April 2025, will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed. The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing. Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns. Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead. In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko to name a few. What's increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online. They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. Major chain Homebase fell into administration in November, putting all its then 133 UK stores at risk. CDS Superstores, which owns The Range and Wilko brands, stepped in and said it would take over up to 70 of these stores. Last month, CDS confirmed it would reopen 50 of these 70 sites before the end of April. But it means a number of Homebase stores are still at risk of closure, while others have been earmarked to shut. Meanwhile, last Spring, Kingfisher, which owns B&Q and Screwfix, revealed its annual profits had slumped by more than a quarter. The company reported a 25.1% drop in underlying pre-tax profits to £568million for the year to January 31, 2024. The high street more broadly has struggled as well, due to high inflation and combined and the trend towards online shopping. Recent data from the Centre for Retail Research revealed over 13,000 shops closed in 2024. Meanwhile, it expects this figure to rise to more than 17,000 across the whole of 2025. One major high street chain is closing a branch in just weeks as a closing down sale is launched and with eight other shops set to shut. The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) is pulling down the shutters on the site on June 28 with shoppers left gutted. Elsewhere, the sudden closure of a beloved pub and hotel has left loyal locals "gutted". The manager of the Rivelin Hotel in Sheffield broke the news that it would serve its last pint on 1 June. And, a huge charity retailer is closing two stores in days after shuttering 27 this year. Scope, which runs shops in England and Wales, is shutting branches in Exmouth and Bury on May 31. RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024. Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020." 4
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular Cumbria garden centre still for sale
A family-run garden centre in Plumpton, the Pot Place, is still up for sale following the owners announcing they will retire. Owned by Paul Thomas and Kevin Roper, the garden centre was created over 20 years ago. The property was first brought to the market in August last year. Sitting on a roughly 2.75-acre plot, on the site of a former railway, it boasts a specialist pot and garden building centre with a charming tea room, furniture centre, plants, and gift shop. The Pot Place has been up for sale since August 2024 (Image: Christie & Co.) Owner Paul Thomas said: 'We are looking for somebody who will carry on the business the way we have run it, it has taken us more than 20 years to build it up to what it is. 'We are looking to secure the future for it, for our staff that work here but also for our customers.' The Pot Place has a 76-space car park and 90 cover café, which has helped build a community within his customer base. Paul said: 'We are very proud that it is a meeting place where people get together with their friends. 'They use the tea room and the other eating area to meet with friends. There are regulars who come every week.' Alongside the business, Paul and Kevin have also dedicated their time to their charity work through Cumbria Aid Ukraine, a non-profit focused on providing emergency vehicles and humanitarian aid to Ukraine's frontline. Cumbria Aid Ukraine delivering vehicles to Lviv (Image: The Pot Place) Paul said: 'If it hadn't been for the support of our customers here at the garden centre, we wouldn't have been able to set up Cumbria Aid Ukraine. 'However, the reason for forming Cumbria Aid Ukraine was to separate it from the garden centre, such that whoever takes over the garden centre, I wouldn't want them to feel obliged to continue the efforts. 'We will be carrying on the work through the organisation anyway, whether that be from the garden centre or elsewhere.' Paul and Kevin, believe their proudest moments for the garden centre was acquiring the full plot of land in 2005, which they didn't own originally, which included the tea room. Paul said: 'Once we did that, and established the tea room in 2006, that is really when we could see there was a good future in being a garden centre. 'The other major moment was when Cumbria Oak came onboard, which they did at a similar time, and added their furniture store, and allowed the whole centre to work as a business.' With the property being listed since August 2024, Paul provided an update on the sale of the business. He said: 'There has not been anybody who we consider to be a serious enquiry, however we have had enquiries. 'We are looking for someone to run it as it is, we are not in any hurry even though we are looking to retire, we want to wait for the right people to take it on.' The 'lifestyle business' is being marketed for sale through a share sale of 100 per cent of the limited company. Andrew Birnie, Director – Retail at Christie & Co, who are selling the location, said: 'The marketing to date has identified some interest but the site remains for sale. 'We are still looking for that special person who appreciates the glorious location, high profitability and lifestyle that owning and running this business would provide.' Christie & Co, who have listed the site, are encouraging all interested parties to get in touch. You can contact Christie & Co. via enquiries@
