After being shut down on 23 March, it now looks possible that British garden centres might be able to unlock their doors around May 11. That date falls within the Government’s second three-week lockdown and during the "green light" first phase of non-essential retail openings. Extensive lobbying of Government and much positive publicity in the media from the likes of Alan Titchmarsh seems to have pushed garden retail to the front of the queue. The Government will probably give a few days’ warning so that retailers can stock up and organise staffing.
A new YouGov poll shows 70 per cent of people surveyed are comfortable about garden centres reopening – far more than for clothes stores, hairdressers or restaurants.
