Scottish Enterprise Awards 2017

4 SME NEWS / Scottish Enterprise Awards 2017 , Parkhill Garden Centre in Aberdeen offers a vast range of gardening facilities provided by knowledgeable and friendly staff, as well as a refreshing café for visitors to relax in after a hard day’s shopping. We spoke to BarryMcGillivray General Manager, Director to gain a fascinating insight into the centre and the products it offers. Parkhill Garden Centre & Seasons Coffee Shop Established in 1974, Parkhill is a hard- working family firm with a proud history and a commitment to providing its customers with the best products and services. Barry discusses how the centre aims to provide something for everyone. “Stocking a vast range of specialist grown quality plants, here at Parkhill we have something for every garden and every location with on- hand, professional advice and knowledgeable colleagues. We offer professional and experienced gardening advice to a loyal, customer base and a growing number of younger enthusiastic gardeners. With a relaxing waitress service at Seasons Coffee Shop, we are often told and are believed to be the best in Scotland, and as such customers come from Aberdeenshire and beyond to sample our excellent hospitality and explore our cavernous store and the wonders it holds. “Fundamentally, our mission is to be the best garden centre and coffee shop backed up by professional and knowledgeable colleagues always on hand to assist. Colleague training and customer liaison are paramount to extolling our virtues. Continuing to support local charities with our fund raising and donations ensures that we give back to the local community.” Having operated for over 43 years, Parkhill and its team have a strong understanding of both the gardening industry and the local market, which Barry is proud to share with us. “In todays market, there is a growing demand for new and unusual plants. There is not the same sentimental value placed on plants today, it is more of a throwaway society. “Instant gardening” is developing more with our ‘disposable society’ however we feel there is a hunger for more DIY in this area and seek to promote and develop this. “Additionally, over the last two years we have been impacted upon by a new motorway and overbridge adjacent to, two of our boundaries. There has been road closure and traffic delays during this time including long traffic diversion for up to 5 months at a time. We feel fortunate to have survived such a handicap to our otherwise thriving business.” Central to Parkhill’s success over the years is the dedication of its staff, all of whom are treated as family and work together to ensure the centre’s continued success, as Barry is eager to emphasise. “As a family owned business, we encourage our colleagues to feel part of the family, therefore instilling a pride in the business and extending the family ethos to care for our customers as we would ourselves. When contemplating our products, we always ask ourselves if we would purchase it for our own gardens. If any colleague did not want to buy a particular plant because of its reduced quality, then it is destroyed. Quality is vital and we pride ourselves on never offering sub-par products to our clients. “Therefore, we test everything we sell ourselves to ensure that we can make appropriate recommendations to our customers. For example, we do not accept compost manufactures claims of their composts being the best; instead we run in-house trials and get composts analysed for suitability to purpose ensuring we have the very best composts for our valued customers’ varied needs. “In addition, we also create a number of products to ensure excellence for our clients. Alongside stocking a wide range of readymade garden bird foods, at Parkhill we have two specific own brand recipes especially mixed for North East Scotland conditions. We are here to educate and develop our customers knowledge and abilities to give them the confidence to garden well into the future.” Looking ahead, Parkhill is set to grow even further, as Barry highlights the centre’s plans for expansion to provide customers with an even wider selection and more support. “On completion of the new overbridge and motorway adjacent to us we are looking forward to bringing to fruition our plans, to expand our site and facilities whilst maintaining the plant excellence we have worked for over 40 years to achieve. Our knowledgeable colleagues and future training programs will enhance our existing standards within the Garden Centre and Coffee Shop. Our vision for a forward-thinking business is setting, not following, the trends for other Garden Centres which should maintain this business for another 40 years. We strive to be an innovative Garden Centre set apart from the rest through goods, facilities and service.” At Parkhill Garden Centre there is an excellent trade in de-icing road salt for garden centre customers, and private businesses and oil companies who purchase any quantity from one pallet of 25kg bags up to 11 x 1ton bags at a time. SCO17004