Garden centres see bird seed sales fly in cold snap

Demand for bird seed from householders eager to help wildlife during the winter snow storms and strong sales of real Christmas trees helped the Garden Centre Group post a jump in profits. As the harsh December weather sparked warnings that many small birds faced starvation, the chain of 121 garden centres said "wild bird sales" rose 8% in the five weeks to 27 December. It credited a new range of RSPB bird food and the lack of food available because of the cold snap. The chain, which was once Wyevale Garden Centres, also posted a 7% rise in sales of Christmas trees and said that it managed to meet demand despite a shortage. Overall, gross profits rose 17% to £14m after what was termed a "terrific" Christmas for the company, which is now owned by a consortium of investors led by Lloyds Banking Group. The group's centres – which include Blooms, Woodlands and Wyevale outlets – pulled in more punters to their restaurants after it introduced more "home-cooked fare". Restaurant sales rose 10% as the chain sold more than 150,000 home-made mince pies. Total Christmas sales were £26m, a similar level to a year earlier, but margins improved significantly as Garden Centre Group highlighted tighter stock control.