Business
Jo Whitfield CBE to succeed Andy Higginson as BRC Chairman
Jo Whitfield CBE has been appointed to succeed Andy Higginson as British Retail Consortium Chair, when his tenure comes to an end on 2 October 2025.
Business
Shop thefts in Scotland soar by 17%
The latest Recorded Crime in Scotland statistics show a 17% rise in shop thefts over the past year, to over 47,000 incidents.
Business
Gateway to US Market: UK Walmart Seller Summit
UK businesses have an opportunity to meet Walmart, the prominent US retailer, at their new London offices to explore commercial prospects of their online marketplace and gain insights into accessing the US market.
Gardens
Behind the Gates: A private tour of Knoll Gardens with Neil Lucas
Otherwise closed to the public, owner Neil Lucas will provide a unique tour of Knoll Gardens to raise funds for the National Garden Scheme.
Charity
Growing hope: Urgent appeal by the Herefordshire Growing Point
The charity that helps people living with physical and mental challenges to enjoy the benefits of gardening is seeking urgent funding or donations to continue their work.
Economy
Price of staples is rising
Fuelled by food price rises, shop price inflation hits highest rate since March 2024 adding pressure to disposable incomes across the country.
Business
Retailers call for economic reform ahead of Autumn Budget
Sixty retail CEOs, including Aldi, Asda, Boots, Tesco, B&Q, Co-op, Kingfisher, Dobbies, Wickes, and trade associations such as the British Retail Consortium and the Horticultural Trades Association, urge the Chancellor to take action.
Charity
Open for Good: Scotland’s Gardens Scheme campaigns for 2026 open gardens
Scotland’s Gardens Scheme is calling on individuals, community groups and villages to open their garden in 2026 to raise funds for charity.
Economy
Consumer confidence remains low
Despite a slight improvement in the state of the economy to -32 in August (up from -33 in July), consumer confidence remains lower than a year ago.
Tourism
VisitEngland forecast: August Bank Holiday to provide £4.1 billion boost to the economy
VisitEngland’s August bank holiday trip tracker survey, shows that 11.2 million Brits are definitely planning an overnight holiday trip in the UK this bank holiday weekend.
Awards
Plot to podium: Dobbies to host National Vegetable Society Championships
Dobbies Garden Centre in Dunfermline opens its doors to the National Vegetable Society to host the Scottish Branch Championships for 2025.
Regulation
Extra border checks cancelled ahead of UK-EU deal
The government announced the suspension of extra border checks on plant goods from Ireland ahead of the new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) deal with the EU.
Collaboration
Collective bloom: Five visions in tulips
Arit Anderson, Anna Potter, Shane Connolly, Arthur Parkinson, and Kim Murray have collaborated with Sarah Raven to create tulip collections for autumn planting.
Business
Thrive Street 2025: Mary Portas calls on small businesses to shape the future of UK retail
Retail expert, Mary Portas is seeking innovative small businesses to take part in an initiative championing the vitality and diversity of Britain’s independent retail sector.
Business
July heat sparks growth in garden centre sales
With the warm July temperatures, averaging 16.8°C, garden centres experienced steady growth with overall revenues up +4% compared to July 2024 and July 2023.
Business
Water Matters: HTA pushes for long term resilience plan
The prolonged hot and dry weather has severely affected the horticultural industry, underscoring the urgent need for long-term water resilience measures, beyond short-term crisis interventions like flood and drought relief.
Tourism
Bath celebrates 250 Years of Jane Austen through flowers
Inspired by Jane Austen’s life and letters, Bath has filled its streets with literary-themed flower displays and installations.
Media
Google versus gardening: Will big tech clip the roots of original content?
Never, has ‘read the small print’ been more appropriate in today’s exponential whirlwind of algorithms and implementation of artificial intelligence functionalities used by Big Tech.
Dids Macdonald OBE, FRSA
Business
Hestercombe estate goes into administration
The historic, 50 acre Somerset based, Grade I listed Hestercombe House & Garden has fallen into administration.
Economy
Bank of England cuts interests rates to 4% amid rising unemployment
The Bank of England has cut interest rates to 4%, the lowest level in more than two years.
