Petition · past parliament

Allow garden centres to reopen.

Rejected 16 signatures

What the petition asks

For many people their garden is their daily outdoor exercise. It is healthy for the mind and body. If people are tending the garden they are also less likely to be away from their home and this helps increase social distancing.
If garden centres and nurseries apply the same controlled environment as supermarkets the benefits of them being open should outweigh any small additional risks. There are millions of pounds of plants ready to sell. Sales of these will be a boost to our hard pressed economy.

Why it was rejected

The UK Government or Parliament was already taking the action it asked for.

Since you started your petition the Government has added garden centres and plant nurseries to the list of businesses that are permitted to open: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance

You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:

www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

The Government has also created an online service to help you out what you can do if you’re struggling because of coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support

You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips

You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/

You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/

Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/

Timeline

23 Apr 2020 Petition opened for signatures
18 May 2020 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 16
Status Rejected
Rejected 18 May 2020

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.