Devon nursery calls for more European workers

Staff shortages, so they've giving away plants worth £100k

A Devon horticultural business is having such trouble recruiting staff it is giving away £100,000 worth of plants.

Family-run Plants Galore, which has stores in Exeter, Newton Abbot and Plymouth, is so short of team members that its stock risks going to waste.

They say they're "being forced to give away £100,000 of plants for free" this weekend and are demanding that the government steps in to allow the horticultural industry to recruit more European staff "if UK workers don't want this type of work."

The Devon business got into a sticky issue last year when it had to close because of covid restrictions, but made a stance by opening their doors anyway. They protested at the perceived injustice of national chains such as supermarkets being allowed to sell plants, but not specialist plant stores that had taken similar covid precautions.

Now they are fully open, they can't attract sufficient staff. They say Brexit has led to difficulties in recruitment; hence the drastic step of giving away goods.

Now Plants Galore team leader Matt Pollard says: “In any usual year we would return these plants to our nursery to cut them back and grow them on for future years. This year it is simply not an option as like many businesses in our sector and the region we can’t find enough staff to work at our nurseries.

"It is a constant battle to recruit skilled staff in the current climate resulting in this decision to simply give the plants away. With the advent of Brexit and the departure of many European staff from the UK, we are suffering the same problem as many other businesses in the south west in finding suitable staff who want to work."
 
Mr Pollard continued: “We hope the giveaway of these plants will allow our customers the opportunity to pick up some free plants. There’s no catch - simply turn up and load your car with as many plants as you get fit in. First come first served. We just need to move the plants on to a good home."

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