Paul Mason was a booking that many didn’t expect for our 2020 conference. As part of our series of blogs looking back at the conference, we wanted to remind you of some of the highlights from Paul’s talk.
Paul was Channel 4’s Culture and Digital Editor, examining the social, cultural and business impact of the new age of digital and online. Prior to joining the commercial broadcaster, he took over from Stephanie Flanders as Newsnight’s Economics Editor after several years as Business and Industry Correspondent.
He was also previously Deputy Editor of Computer Weekly. He has won the Workworld Business Journalist and Wincott awards for his China reports, and the Diageo African Business Reporting Award for his acclaimed film on how mobile phones are changing the continent.
He spoke to our attendees about how the garden centre industry would be affected by the political landscape to come, mainly Brexit, which was and still is a pertinent subject for all industries.
He also talked about the cost of climate change and how it is now becoming a much more important issue for us all to address. We have warmed the Earth by one degree since the pre-industrial era. By 2050 we could be closer to 2 degrees.
Another key point he talked about was Laurence D. Fink, the founder and chief executive of BlackRock, who announced on the morning of Paul’s speech, that they would make investment decisions with environmental sustainability as a core goal. Paul spoke about how this could put pressure on other investment companies to follow suit
What can garden centres do Paul asked? Some suggestions included offering organic coffee, improving biodiversity, offering plant-based menus, reducing water usage and aiming for zero net carbon and zero plastic.
Talking about the economy and how it may impact us, Paul said for GCA members, the variables are weather, the economy, then human fallibility.
Paul said discretionary spending and household spending, is where the majority of income for our members comes from.
The leisure economy is huge…eating out, recreation, coffee bars etc, but what is driving this? The third space, not home, not work, but somewhere you can sit, he said
Once we all emerge from Covid, it will be important that we’re ready to provide customers with somewhere to go once again, somewhere where they can relax near greenery. This is an essential part of ongoing wellbeing initiatives. Also, garden centres are community hubs essential to socialisation for many in our society.