Happy Christmas in the garden centre

The Christmas shopping period – by which is meant the nine weeks ending on 28 December 2003 – brought the UK garden centre chain, Dobbies, a 17.1 per cent increase in turnover as its Christmas surprise. The sales recorded by the group’s 17 green stores went up by 12.3 per cent in like-for-like terms. The company had invested more heavily in marketing, including TV advertising, during the autumn season. According to chief executive officer James Barnes, the mild weather meant that sales in the core garden ranges were good in November as well.