‘Strictly’ Blue Diamond takes annual awards to Blackpool!!
11th March 2024
The Empress Ballroom in Blackpool played host to our Blue Diamond Annual Awards, themed as ‘Strictly Come Dancing’!
Former stars of the show Brendan Cole, Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace-Mistry opened the show with their Latin flare, closing it with one huge dance lesson. The after party went into the early hours with the brilliant Coyote Band.
The Ballroom, inside Blackpool's iconic Winter Gardens, was built in 1896 and has a floor area of 12,500 square feet (1,160 sq. metres). The ballroom was one of the largest in the world when built. It hosted the first Blackpool Dance Festival in 1920 and set the stage for our awards evening.
750 guests attended the star-studded awards to celebrate our people and the successes of 2023.
We also marked the occasion by announcing number one spot as the UK's largest garden centre group, with a turnover of £308m.
Joining staff were some of our suppliers, the National Trust, TV personality David Domoney, and award-winning designer for our upcoming RHS Chelsea garden Ann-Marie Powell.
See highlights of the night here:
...And the Winners!
The night, jammed packed full of sequins and glam, saw winners from various centres collect prizes for the best department in group.
Taking the awards for best centres were:
Cadbury Garden Centre
-Best Origins Patisserie
Nailsworth Garden Centre
-Restaurant of the Year Acorn
Percy Throwers Garden Centre
-Restaurant of the Year Oak
Harlow Garden Centre
-Centre of the Year Acorn
Newbridge Garden Centre
-Centre of the Year Oak
Department winners were:
Stock Management: Redfields Garden Centre
Home: Sarah Thompson & Constantine Parvu - Redfields | Josh Pack - Springfields | Becky Pettigrew - Brambridge
Fashion: Tracey Bull - East Bridgford | Lisa Magee - Orchard Park
Garden Care & Decor: Zoe Gillyett - St Peters | Anne O'Hare - Tunbridge Wells
Seeds and Bulbs: Ben Smith - Sanders | Anne O'Hare - Tunbridge Wells
Growing Media, Features & Containers: Rob Pettigrew - Brambridge | Anne O'Hare - Tunbridge Wells
Wild Animal: Larry Su - Percy Throwers | Callum Joss - Nailsworth
Furniture & Outdoor Leisure: Andrew Gurd - Brambridge | Tracey Uphill - Chatsworth
Christmas: Scott O'Leary Harris - Hereford | Loredana Piraino - Redfields
The Magic Of Xmas: Anna King - Bridgemere | Amy Roberts - Fryer's
Seasonal Plants: Shelly Haynes - Percy Throwers | Jane Meyer Edwards - Orchard Park | Kate Langley - Coton Orchard
Hardy Plants: Fiona Holmes - Newbridge | Andrew Harper Scott - Coton Orchard
Indoor Plants: Sam Louis Robinson - Percy Throwers | Jonathan Mower - Worcester
Customer Experience: Lower Morden
Food Retailer: Michelle Richardson - Trentham | Jo Sparkes - Coton Orchard
Barista of the Year: Lauren Trick - East Bridgford
Pastry Chef of the Year: Vitalina Krykun - Mere Park
Head Chef of the Year: Tom Garstone - Percy Throwers
