Petition · past parliament

Open garden centres, easy social distancing would give people more to do at home

Rejected 10 signatures

What the petition asks

Opening garden centres responsibly, limiting numbers, and applying social distancing would be relatively straight forward the positive impact to mental health and wellbeing would significantly outweigh the risk to health and the NHS now that numbers have stabilised.
People have been stuck at home for a while now and it is becoming more difficult to fine things to do around the home, opening garden centres would allow people to buy plants and other essentials to allow them to work in their garden, and would give children something else comnstructive to do, growing vegetables etc.. in the fresh air, there would be a signifcant positive impact to mental and physical health, it would also be a massive boost to the industry and 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

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

Key facts

Signatures 10
Status Rejected
Rejected 18 May 2020

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