Arundel and South Downs MP welcomes garden centres reopening by visiting Walberton Nursery

The MP for Arundel and South Downs has welcomed garden centres reopening after the lockdown rules were relaxed on Wednesday, May 13 by visiting Walberton Nursery.
Andrew Griffith's visit to the Farplants Group SUS-200519-152208001Andrew Griffith's visit to the Farplants Group SUS-200519-152208001
Andrew Griffith's visit to the Farplants Group SUS-200519-152208001

Andrew Griffith’s visit was done to see how the news will enable the distribution of millions of plants for sale through garden centres across the UK.

Andrew will be observing all government guidance on social distancing and safe working throughout his visit.

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Andrew spoke of his approval of this next step to unlocking the UK’s economy and to re-starting trading, and has campaigned since the start of lockdown at the end of March to have garden centres reopened.

He said: “I am pleased to have played a small part in helping this important sector of the outdoor economy to get back to business.”

In April he spoke in in the House of Commons, calling on the government to protect plant growers and garden centres at a crucial point of their growing and selling season.

West Sussex has many ornamental plant businesses who feared they would have to destroy their stock with no means of selling it without the support of the garden centres.

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He also asked the government to prioritise garden centres ‘when the time is right … as they’re important to the emerging mental health crisis’, recognising the enormous health benefits gained from tending to plants, especially during these challenging times of isolation.

Walberton Nursery, together with Binsted Nursery, Fleurie Nursery, and Toddington Nurseries, form The Farplants Group - a cooperative of businesses supplying over 7.5 million plants of more than 2,000 varieties, worth more than £50 million retail.

The nursery market is worth £1.5 billion in the UK, and garden centres will be welcoming customers back to fill up their flower beds and buy outdoor leisure products.

The centres will be putting in the necessary measures to provide the safest shopping trip and supporting social distancing measures.