Millbrook Garden centre banking on summer sun for regrowth
12:27, 23 June 2020
updated: 12:28, 23 June 2020
The boss of a Gravesend garden centre is praying for the sun to keep shining as her business continues to bounce back amidst the coronavirus outbreak.
In April, Tammy Woodhouse, managing director of Millbrook Garden Centre in Southfleet and Staplehurst, said she and her colleagues had lost out on a "dream spring" after being closed down by government restrictions, while DIY stores had been allowed to remain open and cash in on their closure.
A month later they had lost out on £1.6million in turnover, but were among the first businesses allowed to reopen their doors on May 13, and five weeks on Tammy said they were still trying to claw back losses.
"We've done well, it's been busy although it's quietened down a bit at the moment," she said. "It's not been enough to make back what we've lost, but it's been great to be open again.
"There's been real pent up demand from customers, especially for plants and gardening equipment. A lot of people have been going into their gardens who haven't before. When it reopened we were 25% down - we've lost 25% turnover and possibly made back 4-5%. We were about £1.6 million down.
"Customers are coming less often but spending a bit more when they do come so they're trying to do everything in one shop."
It means the centre has managed to claw back around £246,000 - £320,000, but the future remains clouded by uncertainty - and the weather will indeed play a significant factor in its recovery.
"We'll find out about restaurants and cafes today," she added. "We've had a good six weeks but there's a big chunk of the business which we haven't been able to open. It's another challenge to see how we'll reopen that, but we've got lots of outdoor seating so hopefully we can make the most of the summer if the sun keeps shining.
"Generally feedback has been really positive. All the systems we've put in place such as the one way system and spacing has worked really well. We've had good feedback from customers who say they feel safe, because we've got out outside space and a large room - it feels like a comfortable safe place."
With some staff remaining on furlough, the centre is operating with fewer people, but Tammy is hoping to avoid job losses.
And she said that aside from the initial challenge of reopening, the main problem had been getting hold of stock.
"It takes three months for things to grow so there's not the range of plants available that there would be normally. It's no good planting now because in three months time they won't want that product. There's likely to be a shortage of things until next year, but it's generally positive.
"We're not running out completely it's just people might not be able to find the exact thing they want, and they might have to buy an alternative.
"In the long term we'll have to see what happens over the next few months with the economy," she added. "All retailers were thinking about Christmas - we would normally run a big grotto, and I don't know how that would work as things stand. There's lots of unknowns and unanswered questions."
