It was comforting to find out this morning that garden gnomes have been allowed back into the Chelsea Garden Show for the first time in 100 years. Good to know that discrimination of dimensionally-challenged mythical creatures has ended! On a slightly more serious note, we have now had two sunny weekends, and I smelt the unfamiliar smell of barbeques drifting across my garden for the second time this year over the weekend. I really hope that this is the start of a warmer summer - the garden centres and farm shops of the UK need it - and so do our drinks suppliers, although our biscuit and cake suppliers may not agree. Sales of the latter two products are better in colder weather!
OK - let’s talk about trade shows. We seem to be being bombarded by companies calling us at present to ask us to exhibit at food and drink trade shows of which there are more and more. These events cost a fortune and we will be doing at least four this year, possibly 5 at a total cost of over £80k, a not insignificant amount of money. We will always do some trade shows, but could some of this money be spent in alternative ways to drive business? If only there was an easy answer to that question! (more…)











































