Insolvency for Europatuin

Word went round at Gafa in Cologne that the Dutch garden centre chain, Europatuin, had filed for bankruptcy last Friday (3rd September). According to information from the industry, some of the 46 garden centres belonging to the chain had got into financial difficulties as a result of the extremely poor season. However, the Europatuin head office had taken on long-term rental guarantees for many member companies, which individual outlets then laid claim to. Even the just recently finished store in De Bilt, the chain’s flagship garden centre, is affected by the insolvency and has already ceased trading, according to information coming from a number of suppliers. It is expected that the concept and the Europatuin name will be carried on for the time being by just a few units. It is still not clear what will happen to the other garden centres. However, industry insiders expect an internal streamlining of the chain, which will then go ahead with a re-launch involving considerably fewer units.