Day one highlights

Two shows opened as one today, and buyers made the most of it.

Glee opened its doors alongside Autumn Fair for the first time, and the halls were busy from the get go. New Product Showcase finalists pitched live, the HTA shared fresh data on where garden retail is heading, and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall joined The Underground Podcast on Centre Stage. Two days left if you haven't made it down yet.

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Today's highlights:

Keynote interview: David Robinson, Dobbies Garden Centres

Keynote interview: David Robinson, Dobbies Garden Centres

David Robinson spoke candidly about strategy at one of the UK's largest garden centre groups, from range decisions to what's next for Dobbies.

A Year On at Squire's

A Year On at Squire's

Sam Dickson shared what she's learned in her first full trading cycle leading Squire's Garden Centres, and what's changing for 2027.

The Talent Menu

The Talent Menu

Penny Cook and Ricky Towers set out practical ways to attract and keep good hospitality staff, a challenge that came up in conversation after conversation on the floor today.

What's on tomorrow

Wednesday is the last day to see Autumn Fair on the same ticket. David Robinson, Chief Executive of Dobbies, takes to Centre Stage at 11:30am, Sam Dickson reflects on her first year at Squire's at 2:30pm, and the Feed Your Business Stage tackles hospitality's staffing challenge. Get down early if you want to cover both shows.

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09 Sept 2026
    • Work Smarter
    • Future Ready
    Centre Stage
    Water is one of the most overlooked and least understood costs in garden retail. In this practical panel discussion, Wave are joined by the National Trust to explore how better visibility and control ...
    • Work Smarter
    • Food & Hospitality
    Feed Your Business Stage
    Discover how to unlock greater profit from your Garden Centre Café & Restaurant without adding complexity or overhauling your menu.   This session will show you how to use simple menu engineering tool ...
    • Lead & Grow
    • Innovation & Ideas
    Centre Stage
    • People Power
    • Food & Hospitality
    Feed Your Business Stage
    Finding great hospitality talent has never been harder — but some operators are consistently getting it right. Drawing on decades of experience recruiting across the hospitality sector, Penny Cook sha ...
    • People Power
    • Lead & Grow
    Centre Stage
    Finding and keeping the right people remains one of the biggest challenges facing garden retail — but it’s not a problem without solutions. In this candid panel discussion, Guy Moreton (MorePeople) br ...
    • Food & Hospitality
    • Innovation & Ideas
    • Know Your Market
    Feed Your Business Stage
    It’s time to celebrate the very best in garden centre food, hospitality and food retail! Join Trevor Pfeiffer, Editor & Director of Garden Trade News, as the winners of the GTN Greatest Garden Centre ...
    • Win More Customers
    • Food & Hospitality
    Feed Your Business Stage
    As garden centres evolve and attract an increasingly diverse audience, their restaurants need to do more than simply serve food - they must offer compelling reasons for people to stay, explore, and re ...
    • Lead & Grow
    • Innovation & Ideas
    Centre Stage
    After a full trading cycle leading Squire’s Garden Centres, Sam Dickson brings a fresh, outside-in perspective on one of the UK’s most established garden retail businesses. With senior experience acro ...
    • Work Smarter
    • Lead & Grow
    • Food & Hospitality
    Feed Your Business Stage
    With responsibility for more than 80 catering sites across British Garden Centres, Ricky Towers oversees one of the largest hospitality operations in UK garden retail. In this candid fireside conversa ...
    • Win More Customers
    • Innovation & Ideas
    Centre Stage
    Join the one and only Michael Perry – Mr Plant Geek – for an exciting journey into the future of horticulture that's sure to leave you buzzing with inspiration! Starting with a captivating presentatio ...

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Last chance for two shows on one ticket

Autumn Fair closes tomorrow at 4pm, so today and tomorrow are your only chance to walk both shows on a single Glee badge. Haven't registered yet? It's free and takes two minutes.

Get your free ticket