GCA UK Garden Centre of Excellence
GCA Finalist in UK Ruxley Rose
GCA Finalist in Christmas Competition
We are proud to report that our team has won many GCA awards over the last 10 years including most prestigiously
1st Place GCA Destination National Winner of Customer Services, Garden Centre of Excellence (4th in the UK 2022), 2nd Place GCA Destination National Environment & Community Award 2022 & 3rd Place GCA Destination National Innovation & Creativity 2022
Here at Fron Goch we are proud to say we are members of the Garden Centre Association and currently holders of the Best garden Centre in the UK (GC category).
The GCA has its origins in the very roots of the garden centre movement, which surprisingly has only been in existence for 40 years. The term ‘garden centre’ was not coined until the early 1960s – before that, gardeners bought their plants from nurseries or by mail order.
Garden Centres as such began to take off after the idea that plants could be sold in containers all the year round – an American development – was pioneered in the UK by a handful of forward-thinking nurserymen. This had the effect not only of spreading demand beyond the traditional planting ‘bottlenecks’ of spring and, in particular, autumn (especially for roses), but also of making plants easy to transport and to handle as a retail commodity.
Today, the Garden Centre Association, with its dedicated head office team, represents over 200 garden centres – widely regarded as being among the UK ‘s most progressive. As the market has grown and the expectations of customers have increased, many have developed to become full scale ‘leisure destination’ centres offering a rich and rewarding shopping experience based around plants and related products for the home and garden.
The Association believes in sharing information and experiences at all levels, from senior management to the shop floor, and strives to achieve excellence in customer service, plant quality and reliability. Winter Conferences and summer workshops for garden centre proprietors, managers and staff are a crucial part of the work of the GCA to enhance good communication skills and advise members of the latest retail initiatives to encourage customers to visit garden centres.
Ensuring customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of GCA activity and every garden centre is subjected to a comprehensive annual inspection by independent consultants to satisfy the GCA expectation that members maintain and improve their customer service standards.
Another aspect of customer service and product reliability is the Association’s Plant Guarantee Scheme, whereby members undertake to replace hardy plants that fail to grow in the customer’s garden provided, of course, they have received reasonable care and are returned to the garden centre within one year of purchase. The scheme enhances the GCA’s belief that customers should be assured that they can buy plants with confidence at any member garden centre.
GCA Best Garden Centre in the UK 2019
GCA Best Garden Centre in the North West 2016/2017/2018/2019
North West GCA Area Highly Commended Centre (scores over 75%)
GCA National Award: Christmas Competition 3rd Place 2014/2015(GC)
GCA North West Area Award: Best Garden Centre in North West 2016/2017/2018
GCA Best in UK: Outdoor Lifestyle Award /2019
GCA North West Area Awards: Outdoor Lifestyle Award North West 2016/2017/2018
GCA National Ruxley Rose Finalist 2017/2019
GCA National Worrall Cup Finalist (3rd) Award for Marketing Initiative 2017
GCA North West Area Awards: GIMA Award 2017
GCA North West Area Awards: Barton Grange Innovation Award (3rd) 2017
GCA North West Area Award: Ruxley Rose 2014/15/19 (GC)
GCA North West Area Award: Christmas Competition 2014/15/16/18 (GC)
GCA North West Area Award: Customer Service Award (3rd) 2015/16
GCA North West Area Award: Best Garden Products Retailer (runner up) 2015/16 (GC)
GCA North West Area Award: Environment and Community Award(3rd) 2015/16
GCA Award of Merit – Food Hall/Farm Shop (NWA)
GCA Award of Merit – Website (NWA)
GCA Award of Merit – Entrance & Exit (NWA)
GCA Award of Merit – Catering
GCA National Best Restaurant 2015/2017/2018/2019 (GC)
GCA North West Area Award: Best Restaurant 2014/2015/2016/2017/2018/2019 (GC)
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