The Garden Centre Group (TGCG) significantly improved on all key profit and margin metrics last year in the face of "challenging conditions".
Ceo Kevin Bradshaw of the now 140-store chain said he was "delighted with the overall performance of the group" in the year to December 29 2013.

The business generated revenue of £276.2m during the year. The comparative 2012 figures throughout are pro-forma results for the 12 months of that year, and on that basis 2013's revenue was up 6.6%, generated mostly by acquisitions. Like-for like growth came in at 0.6%.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and exceptional items) was £42.7m, up £14.4m on 2012's £28.3m on a full-year pro-forma basis.

The group generated gross margin of £146.9m (53.2%) and gross profit increased by £18.0m, representing an increase in gross margin percentage of 3.7%.

However, the group recorded a pre-tax loss of £11.8m, compared to 2012's loss of £2.1m.

During the year TGCG acquired the Garden and Leisure Group's seven sites, and Bolton Garden Centre and Cheddar and Lechlade Garden Centres, taking the group total to 139 centres.

Kevin Bradshaw said 2013's widely varying weather patterns had proved difficult for the garden centre industry as a whole.

But he went on: "Against these challenging conditions, the group delivered a positive increase in like-for-like sales of 0.6%, while strongly exceeding prior-year performance on all key profit and margin metrics."

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