Consumer spending at garden centres will smash the £30m barrier in the run up to the Easter weekend, according to new research.
Figures released by payments processing company Worldpay revealed that in the last week of March, garden centres across the UK will see weekly revenues rocket by as much as 39% compared to an average week.
Worldplay said that spending on gardening supplies “spiked dramatically” in the week leading up to Easter last year, when garden centres saw a 58% uplift in sales.
With weather forecasters predicting an Easter heatwave, Worldplay added that shoppers could splash out as much as £65m in garden centres over the next four weeks.
Landscape gardeners are also expecting a windfall this week as Brits prepare their gardens for entertaining friends over the Easter break.
Worldpay UK managing director Dave Hobday said: “Britain’s obsession with planting, prodding, pruning and pottering fuels a billion pound industry in the UK, with seasonal businesses set to make a killing over the coming weeks.
“With only a short window to make the bulk of their yearly income, gardening businesses need to plan meticulously to make the most of traditional spikes in trading.
“Get stock, staffing or cashflow wrong at this crucial time of year and the result can be a real death knell for businesses that rely heavily on repeat custom and word of mouth recommendations.”
James Lanwarne of Lanwarne Landscapes Garden Design and Construction added: “This is the busiest we’ve been since before the recession – we’re booked solid until August. People are still happy to take on the small jobs themselves, but we’re seeing a surge in the number of big, ambitious projects as clients look to create an area the whole family can enjoy.”
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