Appealing to a younger audience and growing a garden centre catering offering are the key topics up for discussion in the panel sessions at the Knowledge Hub at Glee.

Put together and chaired by the HTA in association with Glee, the sessions aim to inspire and debate the latest trends in the garden retail sector.

Panellists include: James Buffoni of Hortipak, David Denny of HTA, Jackie Eades of Briers, Matthew Bent of Bents Garden and Home, Simon Bourne of Perrywood Garden Centre, Salim Shajid of Blueberry Consulting, Jack Sharkey of Vision Commercial Kitchens, Penny Manuel of Soho Coffee, Costas Constantinou, ex Head of Catering at The Garden Centre Group, and Simon O'Shea, of Frosts.

Topics covered in a programme of seminars include making the most of social media (Edwin Meijer of Garden Connect), how to meet consumer expectations (Ray Buckler of Retail DNA) and how to create a catering destination (Abi Perry-Jones – Catering Design Company).

Retail guru John Stanley will return to the Knowledge Hub stage with his unique insight into the changing face of the garden retail market from across the globe, whilst Kevin Waters of The Garden Works will be ‘Keeping Plants in the Picture’ in his seminar talk.

In the Food & Catering Zone, sponsored by Vision Commercial Kitchens, there will be talks on:  Ignoring Social Media is like Ignoring Your Customers by Karen Fewell, Digital Blonde Ltd; Latest eating trends in food retailing and how garden centres can profit from them by Rob Ward, Founder of Food Marketing Network; Feasibility and Concept Design by Andrew Farr, Head of Interior Design, Ward Associates.

See see the full programme details, go to www.gleebirmingham.com/Content/Seminar-Timetables