Sweet smell of success

Reporter: Martyn Torr
Date online: 04/01/2010

AN OLDHAM flower shop has enjoyed a makeover by a Dutch master florist thanks to an internet impulse.

Barbara Jackson, the owner of Miller’s Florists in Huddersfield Road, completed a questionnaire from the Flower Council of Holland, pressed the ‘send’ button and thought no more about the episode.

Four months later Barbara learned she had won the shop makeover and Tim Van Leipsig, who has his own floristry business in the south of Europe’s biggest flower growing country, was in Oldham for two days.

Barbara said: “I completely forgot about the survey until I got the telephone call saying I had won.

“Tim’s visit gave us some really good ideas and was a boost for all the staff — the girls certainly enjoyed having him around.

“In Tim’s home town there are 35 florists competing for business so he has to be sharp all the time and we’ve taken some of his ideas on board.”

One of the best tips was to make more use of the flowers which Barbara buys on a daily basis, ensuring there is much less waste and more profitability.