Sheffield gardening expert warns 'the end is nigh' for plant growers and retailers due to the coronavirus lockdown

Neil Grant, who runs Ferndale Garden Centre in Coal Aston, has warned that ‘the end is nigh’ for the gardening industry if the Prime Minister does not allow garden centres to reopen during lockdown.

BBC Radio Sheffield’s horticultural expert said his 38-year-old business was ‘a ghost town’ due to the coronavirus measures which has stopped his garden centre from trading.

He is now urging the government to also fund the scrapping of plants from nurseries that can no longer be sold, to save the industry.

It comes after a report by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) released on Tuesday, April 28, found that one in three plant growing businesses are likely to collapse this year – even with access to financial aid packages from the government.

Neil, who is a HTA representative, has furloughed 62 members of staff because of the current crisis.

“It's absolutely massive and a scenario we never thought we'd ever see”, he said.

"This has come on so quickly.

"I know everybody has been affected but I have to say, we are not all in this together, some people are having a lovely holiday at home, but businesses are struggling they really are.”

Celebrity gardener, Alan Titchmarsh is among those who have criticised the Prime Minister’s decision to allow DIY stores to reopen over the weekend.

Neil shared how the battle to keep his garden centre afloat, while they are unable to open, was affecting him.

"I'm a glass half full person but I have to say I don't feel like that at the moment, it almost feels like the end is nigh”, he added.

"This is 38 years of building something really important and really significant and employing quite a lot of people - it's like a ghost town.”

The managing director has applied for the government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans scheme but is still waiting to hear if they have been accepted.

Neil has been selling a limited range of their goods online, until the coronavirus measures are lifted.

“We've got hundreds and thousands of pounds worth of bills due today a lot of them and no income for them.

"It's been absolutely total frustration simply because the weather has been amazing and we don't normally get such good weather in April.

"People are at home and they are seeing their gardens and we know for a fact when people are in their gardens they see things when they're out there a lot that they wouldn't normally spot.

“It's absolutely total frustration and on top of that to see supermarkets selling many of our goods on the back of it was a necessary trip to the supermarket but they can buy other things.

"The only saving grace there is that it's keeping some of our suppliers going.”