The winners of the 2016 Glee Buyers Power List have been announced yesterday (Tuesday 13th September) during an exciting awards ceremony at the heart of Glee 2016 within the Inside Retail Theatre.

From individual garden centre buyers to multiple retailer buying teams, the Glee Buyers Power List was launched one yearago to recognise and celebrate the many garden retail buyers who have gone ‘above and beyond’ to make a difference within the industry in the past 12 months.

Speaking at the Glee Buyers Power List awards ceremony, which was well attended by retailers and suppliers alike, Glee’s Event Director Matthew Mein confirmed: “The Glee Buyers Power List was set up to recognise a key group of decision makers in the gardening industry who have often been overlooked: garden retail buyers.  Through this initiative, we are pleased to be able to celebrate and reward their hard work and dedication.  Our huge congratulations to all of the winners,the finalists and the many excellent shortlisted nominees.”

Glee, organised by i2i Events, launched its inaugural Glee Buyers Power List initiative to the market in 2015, coinciding with the continued period of change at development at the show. The strong response from the industry since its launch has seen an increase in nominations year-on-year, with the shortlist for each of the five categories being a closely fought competition.  These shortlists were then opened up to everyone in the gardening industry, enabling them to cast their votes online for their top three buyers or teams in each category.

 The winners and finalists were announced as follows:

Best Independent Garden Centre Buyer/ Buying Team

FINALISTS

• Ayletts Nurseries
• Bents
• Brookfields Garden Centre
• Codsall & Wergs Garden Centre
• Longacres – John Connell
• Chessington Garden Centre – Paul Smith
• The Old Railway Line
• Stephen H. Smith’s Garden & Leisure
• Scotsdale Garden Centre

WINNER

• Frosts Garden Centre

Best Multiple Garden Centre Buyer/ Buying Team

FINALISTS

• Tillington Group – Darran Oakley

• Haskins Garden Centres
• Dobbies – John Forbes
• Wyevale Garden Centres

• Blue Diamond Group

FINALISTS

• Jewson
• Homebase – Sophie Taylor
• Travis Perkins
• Wickes

• B&Q

Best Online Buyer/ Buying Team

FINALISTS

• Amazon
• B&M Stores
• GR Garden Retail
• Internet Gardener
• Primrose buying team
• Wayfair – Rebecca Allsopp
• Wayfair Outdoor Category Buying Team
• YouGarden.com

HIGHLY COMMENDED

• Dobbies

WINNER

• Gardensite

Best ‘Other’ Garden Retailer Buyer/ Buyer Team

FINALISTS

• Aldi
• Argos
• B&M Stores
• Ness Botanical Gardens
• Poundstretcher
• Tesco
• The Range
• Waitrose buying team

• Wilkinsons

 WINNER

• John Lewis