The Blue Diamond Awards at Manchester Cathedral
14th March 2022
A congregation of around 600 gathered in Manchester Cathedral on Thursday evening, 10th March, to celebrate the success of the Blue Diamond Group over the past two years.
MD, Alan Roper, led the Blue Diamond event, dancing onto the stage before extolling the great efforts of his garden centre teams. "By investing all our profits back into the centres we have rapidly grown in size. We'll be ahead of Dobbies by 2023! I'm currently working on 4 new acquisitions at the moment too."
As no awards could be presented in 2021 the main awards for Blue Diamond Garden Centres of the Year were each won by two centres, one the winner for 2021 and one for 2022. East Bridgford & Grosvenor were the Oak Award winners for Destination Centres with Nailsworth & Matlock the Acorn Award winners for Core Garden Centres.
After a glamorous night of celebration in the knave of Manchester Cathedral, guests were transported by coach to the "After Party" at Impossible Theatre in central Manchester.
Blue Diamond Awards 2022 - The Full Results
Stock Management
Winner: Percy Throwers
Nominees: Sanders, Harlow, Percy Throwers
Home
Oak Winner: East Bridgford - Alistair Bartle
Nominees: Trentham - Andrew Bollington, Evesham - Natalie De Guelle, East Bridgford - Alistair Bartle
Acorn Winner: Harlow - Susan Cavey
Nominees: Coton Orchard - Laura Ross, Fermoys - Carole Spain, Harlow - Susan Cavey
Fashion
Oak Winner: Evesham - Alison Turner
Nominees: Brambridge - Lyndsey Smith, Trentham - Karen Locket, East Bridgford - Tracey Bull, Evesham - Alison Turner, Grosvenor - Sarah Williams
Acorn Winner: Newbridge - Rachel Slark
Nominees: Trelawney - Helen Danning, Worcester - Stacey Scott, Newbridge - Rachel Slark
Garden Care
Oak Winner: Derby - Pascel Dorey
Nominees: Derby - Pascel Dorey, Bicester - Cary Powley, Trentham - Natalie Reynolds, Newbridge - Steve Nicholls
Acorn Winner: Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill
Nominees: Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill, Harlow - Julia Spearman, Hereford - Andrew Lloyd, Wilton - Sharon Grant
Garden Décor
Oak Winner: Grosvenor - Graham Moorcroft
Nominees: Cadbury - Colin Roche, Endsleigh - Dan Corben, Derby - Pascel Dorey, Grosvenor - Graham Moorcroft
Acorn Winner: Matlock - Colin Travis
Nominees: Hereford - Andrew Lloyd, Weybridge - Lee Dyke, Springfields - Jay Turner, Matlock - Colin Travis
Seeds and Bulbs
Oak Winner: Derby - Ellen Radage
Nominees: Derby - Ellen Radage, Percy Throwers - Sam Hall, Newbridge - Steve Nicholls, Endsleigh - Dan Corben
Acorn Winner: Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill
Nominees: Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill, Wilton - Sharon Grant, Trelawney - Christine Worth, 3Shires - James Helme, Harlow - Julia Spearman, Hereford - Andrew Lloyd
Growing Media
Oak Winner: Cardiff - Perry Carter
Nominees: Cardiff - Perry Carter , Percy Throwers - Sam Hall, Bicester - Cary Powley
Acorn Winner: Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill
Nominees: Lower Morden - Leanne Wilson, Rake - Jake Smith, Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill
Garden Features & Containers
Oak Winner: Grosvenor - Simon Jackson
Nominees: Newbridge - Nick Gregory, Grosvenor - Simon Jackson, Derby - Richard Hind
Acorn Winner: Hereford - Andrew Lloyd
Nominees: Hereford - Andrew Lloyd, Wilton - Dan Johnson
Living with Light
Oak Winner: Trentham - Edmund Thorne
Nominees: Grosvenor - Sue Gregory, Trentham - Edmund Thorne
Acorn Winner: Fryers - Amy Roberts
Nominees: Springfields - Charley Wright, Hereford - Scott O'Leary-Harris, Harlow - Julia Spearman, Fryers - Aaron Piper, Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill, Matlock - Dan Atkinson
Wild Animal
Oak Winner: Derby - Ellen Radage
Nominees: Derby - Ellen Radage, Brambridge - Rob Pettigrew
Acorn Winner: Matlock - Lauren Abbott
Nominees: Rake -Jake Smith, Matlock - Lauren Abbott, Trelawney -Christine Worth, Coton Orchard - Darrell Mancini, Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill
Pets
Winner: Matlock- Lauren Abbott
Nominees: Matlock- Lauren Abbott, St Peters - Suki Crook
Furniture & Outdoor Leisure
Oak Winner: Grosvenor - Sue Gregory
Nominees: Redfields - Loredana Piraino, Melbicks - Adam Mountford, Derby - Jacinta Butler, Grosvenor - Sue Gregory
Acorn Winner: Chatsworth - Tracey Uphill
Nominees: Chatsworth - Tracey Uphill, Matlock - Dan Atkinson, Fyers - Mathew Halford, Orchard Park - Solange Smith
Christmas
Oak Winner: St Peters - Justine Le Mottee
Nominees: St Peters - Justine Le Mottee, Bicester, Derby - Jacinta Butler, Grosvenor - Sue Gregory
Acorn Winner: Chatsworth - Tracy Uphill
Nominees: Chatsworth - Tracey Uphill, Harlow - Lisa Watling, Fryers - Mathew Halford
Seasonal Plants
Oak Winner: Newbridge - Rhona Chambers
Nominees: Newbridge - Rhona Chambers, Cardiff - Tom Watkins, Sanders - Chester Allen, Percy Throwers - Shelley Haynes, Redfields - Anna Lancaster
Acorn Winner: Trelawney - Rachel Parsons
Nominees: 3Shires - Ryan Wintle, Rake - Gita Evertovska, Trelawney - Rachael Parsons, Matlock - Craig Mallet, Orchard Park - Jane Meyer – Edwards, Chatsworth, Coton Orchard
Hardy Plants
Oak Winner: Cardiff - Tom Watkins
Nominees: Fryers - Peter Shirley, Newbridge - Lisa Holmes, Cardiff - Tom Watkins, Brambridge - Ben Diggins, Grosvenor - Mark Williams, Le Friquet
Acorn Winner: Trelawney - Mark Johnsson
Nominees: Trelawney - Mark Johnsson, Harlow - Fiona Wotton, Nailsworth - John Moxon, Coton - Jamie Rolling
Indoor Plants
Oak Winner: Le Friquet - Alexandra Robson
Nominees: Endsleigh - Simon Edwards, Le Friquet - Alexandra Robson, Percy Throwers - Shelley Haynes, Bicester - Klye Bartram
Acorn Winner: Lower Morden - Katie Ryan
Nominees: Rake - Maria Carney, Harlow - Jonathan Feasey, Lower Morden - Katie Ryan
Customer Engagement
Oak Winner: Grosvenor
Nominees: Sanders, Grosvenor, Le Friquet, Cadbury, Newbridge, Endsleigh
Acorn Winner: Canterbury
Nominees: Nailsworth, Matlock, Wilton, Canterbury
Home Delivery
Winner: Weybridge
Nominees: Fermoys, Weybridge
Barista of the Year
Winner: Orchard Park - Jimmy Barton
Nominees: East Bridgford - Daniel Gigliotti, Grosvenor - Ellie Hutchings, Orchard Park - Jimmy Barton, Redfields - Stefania Parvu
Pastry Chef
Winner: Redfields/Weybridge - Carl Ormesher
Nominees: Redfields/Weybridge -Carl Ormesher, Bicester - Jasmin & Joanne, East Bridgford - Ben Alderson, Springfields - Paula Cummings
Head Chef
Winner: Brambridge - Adam Gellender
Nominees: Melbicks - Adam Winters, Grosvenor - Dom Stefanelli, Brambridge - Adam Gellender
Food retailer
Oak Winner: Fermoys - Julie Wills
Nominees: Fermoys - Julie Wills, Cadbury - Kristy Membery, Derby - Trevor Adams, Bridgmere - Simon Cannell, Trentham - Michelle Richardson, Endsleigh - Jane Glanville
Acorn Winner: Fryers - Tori Ford
Nominees: 3Shires - Emma Burrett, Lower Morden - Nick Dale & Rebecca Smith, Fryers - Tori Ford, Matlock - Gemma Bunting
Restaurant of the Year - The Acorn Award – 2021 and 2022
Winners: Chatsworth & Orchard Park
Nominees: Chatsworth, Trelawney, Orchard Park
Restaurant of the Year - The Oak Award – 2021 and 2022
Winner: East Bridgford & Grosvenor
Nominees: East Bridgford, Grosvenor, Redfields
Core Garden Centre of the Year - The Acorn Award – 2021 and 2022
Winners: Nailsworth & Matlock
Nominees: Coton Orchard, Chatsworth, Fryers, Rake, Nailsworth, Harlow, Matlock, 3Shires
Destination Garden Centre of the Year - The Oak Award – 2021 and 2022
Winners: East Bridgford & Grosvenor
Nominees: East Bridgford, Grosvenor, Cadbury, Derby, Newbridge, Sanders