Why garden centres?

[TheoriginalLEM]

Why are they chowing garden centres to be allowed to open?

It's been nice weather so people have been doing stuff in the gardens, i get it, so have we. But itsnot really essential for me to buy a load of bedding plants or wander aimlessly around a garden centre because I've bugger all else to do.

I can't help but wonder if the weather had been pants if we would be opening them?

Money needs to be spent and businesses need to trade or they will close. I guess garden centres are one big, often different exit to entrance, easy to one way it...

ChipsAreLife

I assume because all the plants will die and need to be sold soon?

Yes, it must be this?

YABU. Why not garden centres, lots of people have gardening as hobby and it helps with mental health. If OP doesn't want to go, don't go. Why moan about what other people do.

The plants are dying and it's outside.

Pea shingle is the opiate of the masses.

I'm not moaning and yes, i guess these are valid reasons.

I won't be rushing to go because I'd rather wait until the initial.rush has died down.

and the tip opens so we can get rid of the shite that do has put out after clearing his garage

Why garden centres?

I'd have thought it was blindingly obvious.

Tens of millions of plants were propagated in nurseries at the beginning of the year and grown on ready to be sold as summer bedding plants. They are living things, you can't just shut them in a warehouse for months. Their sale is time-sensitive and the clock is ticking.

Well according to some conspiracy theories, the government want to kill off the old people to save paying out for pensions and as it's mainly old people who go to garden centres....

the conspiracy theorists must be nutters; most older people vote tory so why would Tories kill off the largest group that vote for them? even as a conspiracy theory it is daft never mind as a general theory

Garden centres aas said before seasonal service easy soical distancing mostly outdoors

The garden centres will be packed and social distancing will be difficult unless they put measures in place like at the supermarket.

Very odd imo

Garden centres usually appeal to an older demographic don't they?

I see the elderly are once again being prioritised over children.

I'd like them to open clothes shops and book shops

Spring is the time to sow seeds, and plant up- especially home grown fruit and veg- it’s getting a bit late now. Garden centres are busiest in spring and early summer. It’s not just for bedding plants.

I would have thought it was because most garden centres are very large and partially outside so a similar to up to large supermarkets could be put in place.

Not prioritising elderly.

I assumed a big reason was the benefit to the economy. A lot of the stock is grown in the UK, not imported, they employ 1,000s, and people will spend ££££millions over the coming weeks.

Considering we are expected to home school our children because they're such a dangerous risk to elderly people, perhaps they could consider opening shops which sell stationery and books to help us.

If they adhere to social distancing, there’s way Lesser chance of catching a bug from a garden centre than from hair dressers or From a take away.

Because they can open safely ? ..
Most of their products are outside so people can keep their distance .
Makes sense to me

Why not garden centres?

The KFC next to me is open and queued round the corner from morning til night. The McDs right next to it is closed.

Why KFC? Who knows, who cares?

What difference does it make? If you’re not into them, stay away. That will be better for the people who ARE into them and want to go.

Does it really matter?

I'd like them to open clothes shops and book shops

Books, stationary and clothes can easily be bought online. Plus books and clothes won’t all have to be thrown away if unsold for a month. The stock and industry will still be there when this ends.

Plants and garden stuff hasn’t transferred to online shopping very easily. I suppose they are easily damaged in transit, and would need specific conditions, humidity, controlled temp etc, Hermes would not work for plants!

Plus you want to select your own plants etc...

Garden centres were never closed in Jersey - the reason given was very specific, that it was to enhance the mental health of people stuck at home who find it helpful to keep gardening as relaxation.

It hasn't meant any increase in cases here, quite the opposite - in fact, what's helped us most is closing our borders, and our cases are way below (per head of population, pro rata) that of the UK's. We also did have specific time limits on being out of our homes (2 hrs, then 4hrs, going up to 6hrs daily from tomorrow) whereas it was all a bit woolly on the mainland.

Garden centres being open won't lead to an increase in Covid cases, but it will have untold benefits for the mental health of people who use their gardens/window boxes/balcony garden boxes as a form of relaxation. No idea why they were ever closed on the mainland, but hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it.

Good news. There is no reason to allow B&Q and B&M to open but not garden centres. My local B&M has a 'garden centre' so it seems strange they can open but not the actual garden centre up the road.

Gardening is worth over £7 billion to the UK economy.
Jobs.
Excellent exercise in the fresh air and sun for vitamin D. Especially for people who are shielding and can't run, cycle etc.
Good for mental health.
Beneficial to wildlife.

Aldi have been selling plants and compost since day 1
as have all the other supermarkets
while Garden Centres look at binning £500 million of stock.

I desperately need certain supplies for my vegetable garden
so I'm looking forward to supporting a
British Company selling British raised plants

TheGreatWave B&M have been open all along - they sell food.

In addition to the relatively low risk, I would assume a high percentage of Tory voters have gardens. Nothing about this response is apolitical.