Oct 2017 Meal & Speaker - Caroline Owen from Scotsdales

Today after a tasty meal we had a very interesting talk from Managing Director Caroline Owen about her very successful local family business - Scotsdales.

Carolines enthusiasm for her business shone throughout her talk.  Her family has owned the enterprise since 1968 and it has grown from 14 greenhouses growing plants to the 3 site multi-faceted business it is today. She proved her talent during her extensive retail experience outside the firm and took over the reins in 1979 and now owns sites in Horningsea and Fordham as well. They are now the third largest Garden Centre in the country.

As part of supporting the local community they have built a building to house the Cambridge Cancer Help Centre which is shared by other charities too.

Caroline shared some of her future plans with us plus the major challenges she sees. These included Brexit (as much of her material comes from Europe), Customer use of the Internet (they will match any on-line price) and the Weather (we are fair weather gardeners it seems!).

We were also very pleased to welcome John King and John Chapman who were scatterring from the Newmarket Rotary Club.

www.scotsdalegardencentre.co.uk/

NOTE - 5pm  Awards Committee meeting (Chair - Burman) - postponed - new date to be circulated.