Malcolm Scott Consultants

23/12/2025

2025, over and out!
Our offices will close at 5.30pm tonight and reopen on Monday January 5th. From all here at Malcolm Scott Consultants, we’d like to wish you a merry and peaceful Christmas, and a happy new year - see you in 2026!

02/12/2025

A week on from last week’s Budget, garden centres and farm shops may be breathing a sigh of relief following the news that the government plans to permanently lower tax rates for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties.

But, Chris Primett warns, that’s not the whole story. With the Draft Rating List for 2026 having also been released, businesses need to brace themselves for a surge in Rateable Values when it comes into force on April 1st next year.

Garden centres and farm shops across the UK may have been bolstered by the takeaway headline that the government will introduce "permanently lower tax rates"

02/09/2025

🎄 Something wonderful is coming to Warrington this winter! We are delighted to have secured permissions for the team at Bents Garden & Home to install a Christmas Light Trail during the festive period.

🎄 Opening on November 14 and running until January 4, the temporary trail is expected to attract 46,000 visitors to the centre.

🎄 Matthew Bent said: “Providing the very best customer experience possible is essential to our success, and their input helps us make that happen. The general consensus from our visitors was that they’d like something out of the ordinary to entertain them this winter, and we think the light trail will be a hit.

🎄 MSC Director Chris Primett added: “For the remainder of the year, when the Light Trail is not installed, the gardens will be open to the public and free to enter. The theme of the gardens will be leisure and educational where visitors can learn about plants and enjoy walking through nine acres of landscaped grounds,” he said.

Planners at Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd have secured permission for a nine-acres Christmas light trail installation at Bents Garden Centre in Warrington

27/08/2025

Wondering what to secret is to growing a successful garden centre business is? According to our director Chris Primett, it's the three Cs - Capital, Confidence and Customer Experience: "The future of garden centres lies in creativity, patience, and an unwavering focus on the customer experience. They are no longer just places to buy plants—they are destinations where people come to spend time, learn new skills, and enjoy themselves."

Find out more...

Chris Primett on investment, innovation and their part in the future of the garden centre sector.

31/10/2024

Delighted to see Groves Garden Centre’s fantastic new retail canopy up and getting plenty of compliments!

Groundworks began at the beginning of July to create a new entrance canopy and undercover plant area at the centre in place of two existing canopies, with established design and build specialists Fordingbridge instructed on the project.

Looking forward to further projects with Charlie and the team.

Work on the first phase of a major retail expansion at Groves Garden Centre in Bridport has completed and has been well received by customers.

10/09/2024

Busy morning on Day 1 of Glee’s 50th Anniversary event at the NEC! Huge range of exhibitors this year, from cards to Christmas trees, restaurant furniture specialists to EPOS experts, this really is at its best.

We’re here on 9L80-K81 to answer all your planning and development questions to help make your vision a reality!
Glee Birmingham

10/09/2024

All set for Day 1 at !
One of the hottest topics for discussion this year is the recent Government announcement regarding changes to the planning system. It creates a number of opportunities for garden centres, so be sure to visit our team on 9L80-K81 to find out how you can capitalise on them.
Glee Birmingham

22/08/2024

An ongoing key concern for garden centre operators, and one that is difficult to stay on top of with changes to legislation, is Business Rates:

👉Are they paying too much?
👉Are they entitled to relief?
👉When the planned Duty To Notify rule comes into force and places the onus on them to keep the VO abreast of changes to their properties, will they fall foul of the requirements?

It’s a minefield, and one that we’re keen to help navigate at Glee Birmingham next month.

For clarification and support, make a note in your planner to visit the team on stand 9L80-K81.

With much of the new Government’s focus for property thus far having targeted planning reform, garden centre owners are poised to see what, if any, changes

15/08/2024

Delighted to have worked with Glendoick Garden Centre in Perth to secure permission for a number of extensions at the site.

As well as 82 new parking spaces, the development plan includes the construction of an open-sided plant market, an extension to the existing soft play centre, the expansion of the centre’s existing outside retail area, and a 6,426 sq ft extension to the shop area.

Looking forward to watching the plans come to fruition.

Planners at Malcolm Scott Ltd Property Development Consultants have secured permission for a series of extensions at Glendoick Garden Centre near Perth.