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EDITOR'S BLOG

FUNDING, SKILLS & STANDARDS
The challenges facing our parks
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

Last week I made some mystery shopper visits for the Green Flag Awards programme, which led me to ponder on the real difficulties facing our public green spaces.

Last week I made some mystery shopper visits for the Green Flag Awards programme, visiting both Hanley Park in Stoke and Brampton Park in Newcastle under Lyme. I always enjoy walking around parks and public open spaces; they are such an important feature of our urban landscape.

Hanley Park

Two distinctly different parks, Hanley Park, incorporating Cauldon Grounds, is owned and managed by Stoke-on-Trent City Council. It is an historic public park of 24 hectares and has a Grade II* designation on English Heritage’s Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. The park is located at the heart of the City of Stoke-on-Trent between the city centre and the main railway station.

Brampton Park

Brampton Park meanwhile, is located on Brampton Road, Newcastle. The site covers approximately 3.28 ha and is one of the borough’s smallest formal parks. It is also home to the Borough’s Museum & Art Gallery. The park is located ½ mile from the town centre and is with walking distance of a large volume of housing, businesses and schools.

Brampton Park

Both parks offer a wide range of facilities that include, plays areas, sports pitches, formal and informal gardens, bandstands, toilets and cafés. Brampton Park for me was exceptional in the number of facilities it offered within such a small site, whereas Hanley Park was considerably a larger public open space.

Brampton Park

Considering many local authotites have over the last twenty years seen their annual maintenance budgets dramatically decreased, it is a small wonder that we can still benefit from these wonderful assets. For me, the values of UK parks and public open spaces are multi-dimensional - they go well beyond just greenery or recreation. Policymakers, researchers, and communities often frame these values in terms of social, environmental, economic, and health benefits.

Hanley Park

And yet the current government, along with the previous ones, have never agreed to recognise the value of city parks and make them a statutory service for local authorities - something parks managers have been championing for many years.

I recently read an interesting article in The Guardian written by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett. Her piece highlighted the lack of facilities, locked playgrounds and broken paddling pools and asked where during the recent heatwave, where will our children play?

Brampton Park

In response to this Ed Stannard, executive director for the Parks For London said Green-space managers would gladly deliver more parks that “integrate children’s play with adult socialising”, but to do this they need funding – not just to develop these spaces but, critically, to maintain their quality long-term. In London local authority parks budgets have fallen by approximately 8% since 2008, while the capital’s population has grown by more than 15% – that means more than a million more people are needing access to quality green space. With the challenges parks are facing from our changing climate, ever-increasing costs, and pressures to generate revenue for vital services, it is testament to those managing our public green spaces that they still manage to deliver so many internationally respected and innovative parks.

Having spoken to many parks managers in recent times, the job of managing a park is getting more complex and coupled with continued reduced budgets, the standards of maintenance and the provision of facilities will continue to decline further.

Hanley Park

I have personally witnessed this decline in standards. We seem to be dumbing down on the skills and horticultural excellence we once had in many of our parks. You only have to walk through some of the premier parks in Birmingham and see the terrible decline in standards compared to when I worked there.

Compounding these issues, talking to one parks consultant, I heard that local authorities are also finding it difficult to recruit qualified staff to manage these parks. The skill set required and complexity of the job has changed enormously. Not only must you have horticulture knowledge and experience, you need many other skills and expertise in dealing with the public, writing complex management plans and working with other multi discipline departments.

The role of the parks manager has changed dramatically since I was one. Let’s hope in the years to come, future governments will finally find a way to make our parks services a statutory service and find the funds to maintain these parks and public open spaces to a standard that meets Green Flag Award status.

NEWS

IMPROVEMENTS FOR AMENITY SECTOR
Promised to be unveiled

In our first WEB ONLY story BASIS announces significant step in "ambition to listen, learn and respond to the needs of professionals working in amenity management".

NETWORK FOR YOUNG INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS LAUNCHED
Designed to connect and support

In our next WEB ONLY story the network is described as being open to anyone aged 18 and over and intends to act as a go-to hub for those looking to build connections in the sector.

NEWS

NEW UK MD APPOINTED
Will showcase strategic direction at GroundsFest

Attendance at the show next week will also see manufacturer "officially entering the professional market".

STIGA has announced the appointment of James Gordon as its new UK managing director who will be based out of the company's new UK office in Stansted, effective September 15, 2025.

The company says James brings an impressive career of senior leadership in the consumer and B2B sectors, with extensive experience in commercial management from his time in the UK, Australia, Asia, and the USA. He has held key roles at major companies such as Kärcher, Dyson, and Colgate Palmolive, where he was instrumental in "driving market growth and operational efficiency."

Gregory Levacher, Group SVP of sales, said, "We are thrilled to have James join the STIGA team. His leadership and deep understanding of our industry will be a significant asset as we focus on growing and strengthening our market position in the UK."

This news coincides with the company's attendance at GroundsFest 2025, where STIGA say they will be officially entering the professional market - which they describe as a natural extension for a brand with over 90 years of experience and a history of "shifting to electric" in gardening. At its stand OSA790, visitors can attend live demonstrations of new products for professionals, which include a Large Format Robot, the all-electric STIGA ePark Pro front mower, and the new ePowerBattery Pro.

MEETING RECORD CRICKET DEMANDS
With 257 matches and extreme weather

The grounds staff not only prepared surfaces for the school’s extensive fixture list, but also supported the local cricket academy.

Oundle School’s grounds team say this summer has been their toughest yet, with 257 matches staged across 60 prepared pitches, all during one of the driest starts to the year on record.

Alongside the school’s packed fixture list, the team also supported Northamptonshire Cricket Academy - increasing pressure on resources. Grounds manager Gary Peden explained that the demands prompted a rethink on machinery, with the team investing in a Dennis ES-510 battery-powered mower.

The school says the mower was chosen for its low noise, zero emissions, long battery life and reduced HAV levels. Groundsman Sam Wyles explained, “With 257 matches this summer, we knew we needed a mower that could handle long days, give us flexibility and reduce strain on the team. The ES-510 hasn’t disappointed.”

The switch from petrol brought additional benefits in a busy school setting, with quieter operation allowing earlier starts and cassette-based versatility helping the team cover more jobs in less time.

Gary added, “The school is deeply committed to sustainability. The ES-510 has given us the confidence to maintain the highest standards across every cricket pitch and square while using electric power.”

WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP RECEPTION RETURNS
To this year's show

Jo Balmer of Balmer's GM attended last year's reception on behalf of Service Dealer

For the third year the event which is designed to help women leaders in the green industry connect and build their professional networks, returns.

For the third year due to popular demand, Equip Exposition will offer the Women’s Leadership Reception, which organisers say is designed to help women leaders in the green industry connect and build their professional networks.

Jo Balmer of Balmer's GM attended last year's reception on behalf of Service Dealer

Equip will be held this year from October 21st to 24th at the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC), and the reception will be held Thursday, October 23rd, from 5:00pm to 6:00pm at the KEC, and be preceded by a special panel discussion on women in the green industry.

“Women are an important part of our almost 30,000 attendees and exhibitors who come to Equip, and we’re proud to offer the Women’s Reception and other networking opportunities to bring women leaders in the green industry together,” says Kris Kiser, President & CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), which owns the trade show.

You can watch a video of last year's Women’s Leadership Reception on Service Dealer's Digital Special Report from the show.

BOBCAT MAKE REPLACEMENT IN NETWORK
New dealership appointed

Bobcat have announced a dealer replacement

New dealer believes there are many opportunities locally, "especially in the agricultural sector."

Bobcat has announced the appointment of Liverpool-based Huskisson Ltd as the company’s new Authorised Dealer for Merseyside, Cheshire and Greater Manchester in North West England, Clwyd in North Wales and the Isle of Man.

Huskisson has replaced the previous dealer for this area, Norwest Plant Ltd, with immediate effect.

Andrew Wolton, district manager for Bobcat EMEA, said, “The extensive experience with Bobcat equipment at Huskisson, combined with their dedication to offering exceptional customer service, will allow them to deliver even greater value for Bobcat customers.”

Huskisson dealer principal, Dave Parr, said, “As a company, we have had well over 40 years of success with the Bobcat brand, with our first dealership dating back to 1981. We are enjoying selling an expanded range of equipment at Bobcat, where the world famous compact equipment, excavators, telehandlers and attachments, light compaction and ground maintenance products are complemented by the sister Dealer Network offering forklifts and warehouse equipment and portable power.”

Huskisson is strategically located in an area which is accessible to a range of motorways and this is important for the company’s daily activities which include customer site deliveries and service support throughout the North West region. The company is also located near the increasingly busy port of Liverpool.

Dave Parr continued, “This will be a very exciting time going forward for industries in the North West and North Wales. The docklands area of Liverpool continues to be regenerated by its owner, Peel Ports Group and Manchester has always been very busy with new developments and expanding businesses. We also have a strong customer base in North Wales, where there are many opportunities especially in the agricultural sector. And in all these areas, we continue to manage existing contracts and bid for new ones with the local councils in our region.”

SPONSORED CONTENT

KEEPING BLENHEIM PALACE PRISTINE
With Major Equipment

The grounds management team at Blenheim Palace returned to MAJOR again to replace an older Trideck roller mower with new MJTDR-610.

Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, is more than a historic estate - it’s a meticulously maintained living landscape. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site its 12,000 acre grounds include over 2,000 acres of formal gardens, parkland and lakes, that must be kept in pristine condition year-round for the million-plus visitors who come to experience its splendour.

The task falls to a dedicated team, including Forestry Cultivation Manager Rob Burgess and estate maintenance worker Charlie Gerring. They care for around 300 acres of grassland, mowing up to 150 acres weekly for 35 - 40 weeks a year. “Visitors expect the front of the palace to look pristine,” says Charlie. “It’s a palace, so it should look like a palace.”

The Art of Lawn Perfection

For nearly a decade, the team relied on a Major 6.1m TDR mower, valued for its sharp, clean finish and reliability. After nine years of service, it was time for a replacement - and the choice was clear: another Major TDR, purchased through trusted supplier Farol. “We wouldn’t look anywhere else for a mower,” Charlie says. “The service from Major and Farol is excellent - they’re always a phone call away.”

Major Trideck is a Trusted Machine

The new TDR builds on its predecessor’s strengths, with galvanised steel decks for rust resistance, a simplified folding mechanism and a blade system that delivers consistent results. Its gearboxes cut consistently, even in wet conditions, and with no belts to maintain, upkeep is minimal. Paired with a John Deere 6120M tractor (120HP), it handles steep banks and tight spaces with ease.

Beyond the Lawns

Beyond mowing, the team manages trees, pathways, waterways and habitats. In partnership with A Healthier Earth, they aim to plant 600,000 trees by 2030, using biochar to enhance soil and support biodiversity.

Major TDR Earns its Stripes

For Rob, the reward is in the results: “I get satisfaction from looking back after I’ve finished mowing and seeing nice straight lines.” With reliable machinery and skilled hands, Blenheim Palace will continue to shine - one pass of the mower at a time. See the Major TDR up close at GroundsFest, September 9-10th and talk with the Major team about how it can transform your grounds.

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