Saturday 18th January 2025
Are you our next team member? We are hiring for both full and part time career opportunities to start around March 2025.
Come and join the c.200-strong team and work for a well-loved, national award-winning garden centre with a strong brand and over 110 years of history in horticulture.
Coolings Nurseries have four Garden Centres – two in Knockholt, Kent, one in Bearsted near Maidstone in Kent, and one in Wych Cross, near East Grinstead and on the edge of the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex.
All are located in beautiful, natural countryside settings.
Coolings has a great reputation for excellent customer service and growing outstanding plants. These high standards are very much reflected across all parts of our business, whether in the busy retail shop, our very popular plant area, the nursery production area where many of our plants are grown, and in our bustling restaurant / café / tearoom areas where our customers can enjoy some welcome refreshment during their visits.
At Coolings we are “The Place to Go for Plants”. We also have an extensive range of garden sundries as well as a collection of hard landscaping products to help customers create their dream space. Add to this our attractive stoneware and wide range of other products and you have everything to keep an avid or amateur garden enthusiast happy for hours. Our Lifestyle business supplies all you need to enjoy the pleasures of outdoor living with quality garden and other furniture, BBQ and products to enhance your outdoor space and home.
We are looking for enthusiastic people to join our team in a variety of roles as Sales, Plant, Nursery and Catering Assistants. There are temporary roles during our exciting spring / summer period (March to May 2025), with some going on for longer (usually to September). We also have openings for people looking to join our weekend teams and a few permanent roles for those looking to join the Coolings family for the longer term.
Please note that all roles are paid at the NMW / NLW rate and require a willingness to work on weekdays and weekends. The exact working hours, days and other timings will be dependent on the specific role offered to someone and the area of the business where they are appointed. Please be aware that public transport is not reliable in getting to Coolings. A valid driving licence and your own reliable transport is essential to ensure you can get to and from work. Free onsite parking is available.
Our Recruitment Day
Our Recruitment DayIt’s taking place between 10:00 and 16:00 on Saturday, 18th January 2025!
Every year we run a recruitment event to allow people the opportunity to express interest in working for us. This year the format is to invite people to secure a 10 minute time slot to meet some of our managers and have a chat about the roles on offer and also explain to us why they should be considered.
If you have a successful mini-screening with us, you may be invited back for a more in-depth meeting to talk about where we will look to potentially place you.
How can you register interest?
- Simply send in your CV or a covering letter to workforus@coolings.co.uk
- Please make the subject heading, “Recruitment Day at Coolings – Your Full Name and Surname – CV”. This will help us find your application more quickly.
- Remember, while a cover letter is optional, it will go a long way to giving us a clearer idea of why you are applying. And feel free to include anything that will help us get to know you better.
- You must read the summary below to decide on where you would prefer to work. Let us know your No.1 preference and your backup choice, too. We cannot guarantee that this is where you will end up working, if successful, but it’s worth knowing what you would like to do.
- If you make the shortlist, we will send you an email with the time slot that you have been allocated.
- You must register your interest by 13th Jan 2025 or you may miss out.
- We have limited time slots and high demand, so get your application in asap.
- Slots are allocated by us at our discretion on a first-come, first-served basis.
- We aim to send out time slot bookings from the 06th January 2025.
- Applicants must be 16 year or older.
- Please note this is NOT an Open Day. You must book a slot to secure your place.
- Please be aware that public transport is not reliable in getting to Coolings. A valid driving licence and your own reliable transport is essential to ensure you can get to and from work. Free onsite parking is available.
Which area of our business do you fancy working?
Shop Sales Assistants / Till Operators (vacancies at all sites except Coolings Lifestyle)
We’re seeking enthusiastic individuals to help us manage the seasonal peak in our Shop team. No prior experience is required—just a friendly attitude and a willingness to learn, as full training will be provided.
Your role will include operating tills, assisting customers with purchases (including packing and carrying items to cars), pricing and stocking products, and maintaining a clean, welcoming environment. You’ll also ensure trolleys, baskets, and packing materials are readily available.
We’re looking for team players who can also work independently, provide exceptional customer service, and keep the shop tidy. Being active and reasonably fit is essential for this hands-on role. If you’re ready to join a supportive team and enjoy a customer-focused role, the shop area could be the right place for you to work.
Plants Sales Assistants (vacancies at all sites except Coolings Lifestyle)
Join our vibrant Plant Sales team at our garden centre! We’re looking for enthusiastic individuals with a passion for customer service to help during our busy seasonal peak. While plant knowledge and retail experience are a bonus, a friendly attitude and commitment to outstanding customer service are most important.
As a Plant Sales Assistant, you’ll greet and assist customers with plant queries, maintain high merchandising standards, ensure stock is properly cared for, accurately priced, and well-watered. You’ll also help reduce wastage and create sales opportunities through customer interaction to delight them with great products and service.
This hands-on role requires you to be active and reasonably fit, and you’ll enjoy working as part of a friendly team. If you’re ready to combine your love for plants and people, the plant area will be the place to work.
Nursery Production Assistants (vacancies only at The Gardener’s Garden Centre)
This dynamic role involves assisting with the production and care of up to 40,000 plants weekly. You’ll work with potting machines, label and set plants in glasshouses, and help with general plant husbandry like trimming, weeding, and spacing.
Are you physically fit, energetic, and ready to take on a hands-on role? This role requires stamina to meet the physical demands. While plant knowledge isn’t essential, we seek enthusiastic, driven individuals ready to meet production goals in a structured, but fast-paced, semi-production line environment.
You’ll also assist with preparing high-quality plant orders, ensuring every plant is sale ready. This is a fantastic opportunity to work in a thriving nursery under expert guidance. If you’re motivated and a team player who likes the rhythm of a production environment, the nursery area could be the place for you.
Catering Assistants (vacancies only at The Gardener’s Garden Centre)
Join our café team as a Catering Assistant at our Coolings Lifestyle location, also based in Knockholt. This varied role involves assisting with meal preparation and serving, maintaining a clean and tidy kitchen and service areas, and ensuring health and safety regulations are met to keep our customers safe as they enjoy our delicious food and beverages. You’ll provide exceptional customer service, process transactions efficiently, and proactively address any issues with customers or equipment.
Key tasks include replenishing display fridges, completing cleaning schedules, and ensuring all food handling and service standards are followed. We’re looking for friendly, confident individuals with great communication skills, the ability to multitask, and a calm approach under pressure. Our aim is to delight our customers with great food and a memorable experience.
If you are keen to work in a food based environment, have a keen eye for detail, and enjoy delivering outstanding customer service, you’ll love being a part of our team.
Delivery Drivers (vacancies only at The Gardener’s Garden Centre)
Join our Despatch team as a Delivery Driver and be the friendly face of Coolings Garden Centre! At Coolings, we pride ourselves on excellent customer service and top-quality products, which are available through our online shop. As a driver, you’ll deliver home-grown plants, gardening products, and outdoor furniture directly to our customers’ doors.
This role requires a full, clean manual driving licence, familiarity with light goods vehicles, and the ability to handle heavy lifting. Duties include loading vans the evening before deliveries and ensuring timely, accurate drop-offs using pre-planned routes with Sat Nav guidance.
Strong customer service skills are essential, as you’ll represent Coolings at customers’ premises. Knowledge of the local area is a plus but not required. A safe and careful driving style is key to protecting our good reputation. If you’re reliable, personable, and eager to join a dedicated team, we’d love to meet you.
