Careers at Meadow Croft Garden Centre

Meadow Croft Garden Centre is part of W. D. Smith & Son, a family-run  business with four generations of horticultural experience behind it. This family-inspired ethos is woven through the very fabric of our business and extends out not just to our team members, but to our customers too. We are dedicated to placing customers at the heart of what we do and aim to offer the best customer service experience. We are dedicated to being the best garden centre possible, offering customers a wide range of plants, providing quality products, trustworthy advice, value for money and inspirational ideas to create the gardens they aspire to.

We pride ourselves on the quality and range of plants offered, many of which are grown in our own glasshouses on-site at W. D. Smith & Son’s growing facility. Not only do we produce plants, but we also have extensive giftware, homewares, and outdoor living departments, together with pet care and a huge range of garden sundries. We also hold regular festivals and events across the year, including our now renowned German Market & Christmas Fair, Food & Drink Festival, and our unique Viola & Pansy Festival.

Our restaurant, Meadow Croft Kitchen, is an integral part of our garden centre, as are the team members that make our restaurant so successful. Meadow Croft Kitchen has a well-established reputation for serving delicious homemade dishes, bakes and cakes, together with daily specials and afternoon tea.

We know that our team members are one of the main reasons Meadow Croft is such a great place to visit and we are proud of the friendship and support our team members offer and share with each other. We also offer a wide range of employee benefits.


Benefits

Employee Discount Scheme

Above statutory holiday allowance (up to 32 days per annum, pro-rated)

Subsidised food and drink from our restaurant (which includes up to 50% discount for garden centre team members and a meal allowance for restaurant team members)

Employer Contributory Pension Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Training and development, including an ongoing e-learning training programme

Uniform provided (including an allowance for protective footwear)

Free parking

 

 


Vacancies & Applications

Most of our vacancies are advertised on our website (below) or through our social media pages. However, we also welcome speculative applications, especially from candidates who have experience in horticulture, retail or hospitality and catering. Even if a relevant vacancy is not listed, please send in your CV if you think you have experience we would be interested in - for the right candidate(s), we will always keep you in mind for potential upcoming positions.

To apply for a vacancy, or to submit a speculative application, please email us at [email protected]. Please email your CV and a covering letter, detailing the position (or type of position) you are applying for, why you feel you are the right candidate for the position, and outline any relevant experience. Please also confirm whether you are looking for full-time, part-time, or casual hours.

If you are interested in working at Meadow Croft Garden Centre or Meadow Croft Kitchen, please keep an eye out for new vacancies on our Careers page or follow our social media pages. 

          

Important - before you apply: Please be aware that unfortunately we are not able to employ students until they have completed their GCSEs. Also, due to the location of our garden centre, having your own transport is preferred.


 

We have the following vacancies available.

 



Application Process

Please bear with us while we review your application. We normally allow up to three weeks for all applications to be considered, to answer candidate queries and for us to respond to your application. We always try to respond to applicants, including those that have not been successful, but due to the high volume of applications we tend to receive, this is not always possible. However, if you do not hear from us after three weeks, you are very welcome to contact us to follow up on the progress of your application.

In line with our Job Application Privacy Notice, we will keep your details on file for a period of six months which allows us the opportunity to contact you should any suitable, future vacancies arise. For full details on the data Meadow Croft Garden Centre (W.D. Smith & Son) collects and processes personal data during our recruitment processes, and how we meet our data protection obligations, please refer click here.


Our German Market is in full swing with all the favourites; Schokokuss, bratwurst, Bavarian Curling, beer, Stollen and lots of carefully selected authentic products. No need for the Eurostar, and parking is free.
Our staff are soooo excited that our cut Christmas trees have arrived-well Louise is particularly excited.
They look and smell wonderful and are really getting us in the festive spirit. Our top quality Nordmann Fir no drop trees range from 4 foot to 7 foot and are priced from £29.99 to £79.99. Can’t fit it in your car? No problem, we offer a home delivery service which one of our team will be happy to advise on. We also sell a range of artificial and potted Christmas trees, so something for everyone.
We look forward to seeing you at Meadow Croft
Opening hours:
Monday -Saturday 9am-5pm
Sunday 10am-4pm

Also look out for our festive late night shopping evenings when the whole store and restaurant will be open until 9pm
A quick reminder that Meadow Croft's Late Nights start tonight (Wednesday 20th November)...we can't wait. Featuring live performances from Rayleigh Brass, you can do some late-night shopping at both the German Market and the Garden Centre, then stop by the Market Tavern for a drink and a bite to eat
That industrious group at SWF Man Shed have made this fantastic Library for the Community Garden. It just keeps getting better down there.
Schokokuss or chocolate kisses are a festive staple in Germany and at our market.

What’s your favourite flavour? We know ours, let us know yours.
Today we will be taking part in the 2 minute silence at 11am to remember those who lost their lives in conflict.
Our late night German Market Experiences start this week, and it's free to park and enter!
Tag us with #meadowcroftgermanmarket to be in with a chance of winning £100 Meadow Croft gift card.
Our beautiful German smokers are selling fast. These authentic, hand crafted figures fill your home with scents of Christmas. Lots of our customers collect them to create a stunning Christmassy scene. Meadow Croft German Market, open every day until 23rd December.
We are so proud of the South Woodham Community Garden who were presented with a certificate of OUTSTANDING achievement by Margaret of Anglia in Bloom last week. The garden is by the entrance of Meadow Croft, if you would like to get involved, please ask in store.
The first of our beautiful homemade wreaths have just arrived in store. Our team on the nursery are very busy right now making these under direct supervision from Honey and Elvis (the cats).
We're very proud of our wreaths the team make the best quality about.
Keep an eye open for some wreath decorating workshops, details are to be announced immanently.
Our late night Christmas shopping events kick off on Wednesday 20th November. We will be open until 9pm every Wednesday and Thursday until 12th December. The evenings are lovely and festive, with lots of exclusive offers in store and the chance to sample lots of Christmas goodies. We will have Rayleigh Brass Band there to serenade you all with Christmas tunes and our restaurant will be serving a delicious selection of festive specials. The whole store will be open so you can browse at your leisure and of course our German Market and the food huts will be in full swing. So, wrap up warm and invite your family and friends to join you for a game of curling, a bratwurst, gluhwein or simply to soak up the atmosphere at Meadow Croft Garden Centre. Entry is free and there is no need to book. Also tag us with #meadowcroftgermanmarket in your photo of your late night shopping experience to be in with a chance of winning a £100 Meadow Croft gift card.
#meadowcroftgermanmarket
Make a gingerbread house like us. Only £10.99 from Meadow Croft Garden Centre, so easy even we could do it! Winter Secco optional but HIGHLY recommended. Enjoy!

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