Is there any guidance on travelling to garden centres and house hunting?

kuepper

I want to get some plants that my nearest garden centres don't have but don't want to risk a £200 penalty travelling to a garden centre 30 mins drive away that I know does. I also want to start physically looking for a house in a different area with a view to moving before summer.

Jeremy535897

The legislation treats the following as a reasonable excuse for leaving home:

(f)to undertake any of the following activities in connection with the purchase, sale, letting or rental of a residential property—

(i)visiting estate or letting agents, developer sales offices or show homes;

(ii)viewing residential properties to look for a property to buy or to rent;

(iii)preparing a residential property to move in;

(iv)moving house;

(v)visiting a residential property to undertake any activities required for the rental or sale of that property;

There is nothing in the legislation that says you can only move house near to where you already live. That would be absurd.

Garden centres are on the list of businesses where it is allowed to make purchases from that are reasonably necessary. Is the purchase of a particular type of plant "reasonably necessary" enough to warrant a 30 mile journey? Possibly. It's like saying you need to go to the supermarket 30 miles away because the one 5 miles away doesn't stock the jam you like.

kuepper

Garden centres are on the list of businesses where it is allowed to make purchases from that are reasonably necessary. Is the purchase of a particular type of plant "reasonably necessary" enough to warrant a 30 mile journey? Possibly. It's like saying you need to go to the supermarket 30 miles away because the one 5 miles away doesn't stock the jam you like.

Thanks but 30 minutes not 30 miles away, and it's not one plant but several plus I want to look at other garden/household/food items they sell while i'm there. Not sure about the jam analogy, with plants you want to see them to assess right size, healthiness etc

Jeremy535897

My own view is that if you have a good reason to visit a particular garden centre, you can do so, and not being able to get the plants you want any nearer is that reason. It depends on the view of the police officer that stops you, however. Presumably these are plants you can take with you to a new home.

mattyprice4004

Can’t you just wait a little longer? 

sammyjammy

I'll never understand why garden centres are open, its just another excuse for people to be able to leave the house unnecessarily.

wannabe_a_saver

sammyjammy said:

I'll never understand why garden centres are open, its just another excuse for people to be able to leave the house unnecessarily.

I think its because the mental and physical health benefits of gardening are very well proven and as garden centres tend to be mostly outdoors then the risk is minimal, certainly less than a supermarket or a gym. 

gettingtheresometime

Are garden centres open - don't they count as non essential retail?

poppy12345

gettingtheresometime said:

Are garden centres open - don't they count as non essential retail?

They are open.

gingerdad

Nothing in the guidelines that says you can't

Garden Centres are open and classed as essential - I'd go but then I have a 30 minute drive to the supermarket

gingerdad

sammyjammy said:

I'll never understand why garden centres are open, its just another excuse for people to be able to leave the house unnecessarily.

totally agree we own a gift shop which except for plants sells all the same things as the garden centre but we can't open