Northern Ireland garden centre owner hopeful Windsor Framework can make life easier

Robin Mercer of Hillmount Nurseries hopes the framework can smooth out the problems caused by the NI Protocol which had prevented him from bringing certain products across the Irish Sea.

Mr Mercer said that along with his son Alan they have been studying the framework to see how it will impact the family business, established more than 80 years ago.

He said: “Alan and myself have been trying to sort out exactly what the score is, it’s getting down to the small print. Things are looking a bit better. There’s a few loopholes we’re still sorting out.

"We have single market access to the EU and UK market – we’re supposed to be on the pig’s back that we can do both – we can bring in plants from Europe and the south and we can from GB now, which is good, that does help.

“At least now we are allowed to bring in plants from England as long as they have got a passport number on them – it’s to do with traceability. As far as the seeds and all the buds goes, they’re still going as normal.

“The native trees we can start to bring them over now. Unfortunately with seed potatoes they have changed the ruling to help the farmers so that they can bring in the seed potatoes from England, we’re still not allowed to but hopefully in the future that will change.”

He added: “All in all we’re very happy. If you think two years ago when it all started anything to do with soil was totally banned from Northern Ireland so we are getting there.

"We were at a show in Birmingham a couple of weeks ago and suppliers are now prepared to do the paperwork whereas going back two years ago they weren’t interested, it was just too much hassle."

He said that in terms of garden centre they probably wouldn’t feel the impact until this time next year: “In autumn you’ll get a few bulbs but really it’s this time of the year that is the gardening season, it’s already upon us, so really we’re looking forward to next year.

“Plus we have to sit down and talk to our suppliers and make sure they’re going to label the plants as necessary, that will take time, then as far as the Trusted Trader Scheme goes there’s a still a bit of paperwork but it’s not as bad.”

His son Alan said: “The last three years have been very frustrating for us as a garden centre, moving things like plants, seed potatoes, seeds and bulbs from England, it's been really hard. There's been a lot of red tape.”

He said that before Brexit they would place an order on Monday and get delivery on a Friday, whereas now for an order on a Monday you might have to wait two to three weeks for delivery.

Of the framework, he said: “This could be a real game changer for us, if you get these green lanes set up ordering can become a bit more normal again.”