Acorn of idea grows at centres

Apr 16 2008 by Mike Birkett for The Journal

THE recent purchase of a Northumberland garden centre by a London property company undoubtedly heralds not just the possibility of restructuring of the business but the development of a new retailing experience.

For garden centres have moved on since the 1960s, when they started servicing the market driven by the boom in new housing. Beyond bags of peat, bushes and accessories, they have diversified principally on the premise that the garden centre experience should be an enjoyable one.

Garden centres require sizeable areas of land and the larger ones can be found out of town and, as in the case of this recent acquisition, close to main roads.

So what is going on? Possibly a planner could be asking the same question, because garden centres have moved on from the original concept of being draughty, cold places where the retail choice was restricted to a few annuals and driving home with a garden shed strapped to the roof.

Gardens centres are light years from their original concept and could well be viewed as an alternative retail park.

I suspect there is more to come to make more of these retail destinations. Research shows that visiting one is seldom a result of impulse. Further, the “silver” generation with high disposable income is an important market and this will grow by two million by 2015.

Shoppers keen to improve their gardens may also want to upgrade the conservatory, buy better furniture, read about gardens, buy better equipment and larger sheds. If “dwell time” can be increased, so much the better. I can hear the tills ringing from here.

Mike Birkett is director of retail agency at Atisreal in Newcastle.