Paul Cooling

1964 – 2022

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Paul Cooling, Vice Chairman of Coolings Nurseries.

Paul recently suffered a stroke and unfortunately passed away on the 29th December, with family and friends present. Our deepest sympathies are with his family at this time.

 We are grateful for everything Paul brought to Coolings Nurseries and the wider industry over the years. Paul will be missed very much by the team.

Below are some memories from the current and past team who have known Paul for over 50 years.

Nicky Peto

How can one sum up over 50 years of knowing a person in a few short sentences?

I have known Paul for a very long time, having been involved in the Coolings business for longer than I care to remember, having started as a Saturday girl pre decimalisation.

I first knew Paul at Chislehurst when he was a very young boy of 7 or 8 and looked after him on occasion when his parents Mike and Shirley went out to celebrate a special occasion in their lives. He was a quiet young man then, but as we all know flourished into quite a character and leader of the Company after his father Michael retired, along with much input from Gary Carvosso and others.

Many years ago, when Coolings first moved to Knockholt, and in comparison to today we had not so many staff. Sometimes in the summer, my Husband and I would hold a small gathering in our garden as a get together for us all,  Paul , Mike and Shirley Cooling would always attend and join in which we both appreciated.  On these occasions quite a few people would as people do, bring along a bottle, but Paul would always bring something for my garden, which was much appreciated , always carefully chosen. The last such gift was the Hebe “Nicola’s Blush” which raised a smile, it still continues to flourish in my garden and will now be a constant memory of Paul.

As a team I know we will all continue in the best traditions of a family-run business to keep his memory alive and to do him proud.

Nicky has been working at Coolings since 1972

Garry Norris

Paul would always have time for people, introducing himself to new staff and enquiring about the wellbeing of existing staff not forgetting their families. Before the Company expanded, Paul liked to hand out the staff wage slips personally each month and made a point of saying ‘thank you’, it would take most of the day as he chatted to all as he worked his way up to the nursery. Like Mike, his father, Paul was always approachable and with the vast experience Paul had dealing with so many people in the industry, he will be sorely missed. It was very unusual if Paul could not contribute in solving a problem or offer advice on what was happening locally, nationally and internationally within the industry.

Paul’s passing has come as a great shock to us all, we can only try to imagine the grief the family are going through. Sending our thoughts and prayers to Carol, Jessica, Thomas, Paul’s brother David and the rest of the family.

Garry has worked at the Coolings site since 1979

Mark Reeve

I remember Paul often approaching me with a bit of branch or leaf from a tree that he’d picked up either from his garden or an arboretum he’d been to. He would wryly smile as I would often struggle to identify it as it would invariably be rare or unusual. I really will miss that.

Mark has worked at the Coolings site since 1988

Kevin Freeman

I have known Paul for 32 years. When I started Mike was very much in control I was based at the Spinney which now is Paul’s house.

The memories I have of Paul was when he had a Flintstone Party at his house over at Farnborough in the early 90`s when he had a moustache. He dressed the part, very well attended. A good night was had by all.

In 1998 Mike gave the Freeman family an old generator which was connected up for use on our boat, my dad managed to get it started and because of his generosity we took Mike, Shirley, Paul, and Carol for a boat ride in our boat on the Medway, going through 3 locks down to the Malta Inn at Allington for a meal. Mike was concerned what time we would get back as he was worried about the nursery!! Paul enjoyed doing the locks as he hadn’t done it before.

It was nice to receive my RHS 40 years long service medal from Paul last year.

Paul will be sadly missed.

Kevin has worked at Coolings since 1990

Ian Hazon

My memories of Paul go back over 30 years. To our first meeting outside the old shop (now the Hub office) before I officially joined the Company, sitting with him on various committees, both in and outside of the horticultural industry and enjoying a party, comparing sometimes loud waistcoats, and Paul particularly enjoying the accompanying food (a cheese board preferred of course). His enjoyment of and commitment to, the horticultural industry was without question as was his knowledge of plants and he will be missed by many.

Ian has been working at Coolings since 1991

Phil Richards

It was just before Christmas 1996 when I first met Paul, I had visited Coolings on the off chance that maybe there was a job going that would suit me. Unfortunately at the time there was nothing going so I left my details with Paul in the hope something would come up in the future. It was a year to the day when I got a phone call from Paul asking if I would like to come for an interview. I got the job and here we are almost 25 years later, almost half my life time working in a job I enjoy. When I first started, I was working with Norman on deliveries and ground maintenance and Norman warned me that if something was not nailed down, Paul would sell it. One day we were setting up an area for concreting and I had cut up a whole load of wooden pegs in readiness for the next day. The next day came and I went to get the pegs but they had vanished overnight!!

Yep, Norman was right. After asking around, we found out Paul had found them and sold them to a customer, I learnt from then on to leave a note saying what things were for!

Another very fond memory I have, and a big highlight and privilege for me, was when I was fortunate enough to win a staff ballot to accompany Paul to the Queen’s Gardens in Bromley where Coolings had sponsored a floral display for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 which the Queen herself was to unveil.

I remember being very nervous as she approached, spoke to us and passed Paul the velvet cloth that she removed from the plaque, I still have half of the velvet cloth and Paul had the other half.

Paul would always come around at the end of the month and personally give us our pay slips and have a chat and catch up with us. I have seen the Coolings business grow throughout my years of working there and know everyone will miss seeing Paul around.

Our thoughts are with his family at this tragic time and I will be proud to continue wearing the Coolings name and working for Coolings Nurseries and the great legacy Paul has left behind.

Rest in Peace Paul.

Phil has been working at Coolings since 1998

Neil Russen

I have known Paul for 22 years since joining Coolings. He conducted my second interview and offered me the job which I was truly thankful for, as at the time I had been made redundant and had two young children to support.

He was always very pleasant to all the staff, making new staff feel welcome and used to come round at the end of the month handing out the wage slips.

Paul was a legend in his tree knowledge and would always answer any questions I had in a professional manner.

All members of the Company would agree he will be sadly missed in the Company and in the trade.

Neil has been working at Coolings since 2000

Jon Reburn

I have known and worked for Paul for over twenty years, and I can honestly say I have looked forward to every day at Coolings.  Few successful businessmen will have been so well liked and respected.  I have climbed the Three Peaks, visited America and called into half the garden centres in Britain with him. Colour blind down here, I am sure on the escalator to heaven he will have been comparing shirts with Vivian Westwood and enjoying seeing all the colours of the rainbow. Each spring the yellow daffodils will re-appear, and I will remember him with fondness.

Jon has been working at Coolings since 2001

Matt Muskett

Paul was such a big character and so well known within the industry. If you have ever been to a trade fair with Paul, you will know that it takes an hour just to walk 500 yards as everyone knows him and has to stop to say hello.

Watching him shaking hands with so many and Paul knowing every one of them by name was very impressive. Always with a big smile and a genuine welcome, to be that well known and that well liked, is something I admire about him.

I can remember exactly where I was standing when I first met Paul back in 2004. It’s a corner of the carpark now but back then it was our pot and stoneware area. Being a teenager and a bit naïve, it felt like I was meeting a local celebrity and I was very shy. I’ve had the pleasure of working side by side with Paul during the Green & Pleasant years. I had a great opportunity to learn from him and some of those lessons I now try to impart onto others.

Paul will be dearly missed. My heart goes out to Carol, Tom, Jess and the whole Cooling family.

Matt has been working at Coolings since 2004

Dwayne Ross

Paul will be so missed by so many, he gave me my second opportunity to work in a family run garden centre and 18 years later I am so glad I took the job offer. He always wanted people to learn and would regularly leave me cuttings from the newspaper with some sound advice. Later this advice came in the form of emails, which always make me smile as many years ago Paul said he did not need one of those computers on his desk. Paul was always interested in people, life and had time to talk to anyone. Last year he was thinking of others when he challenged the IGCA (International Garden Centre Association) in supporting some projects in Ukraine. I will miss his thought-provoking ideas he would always give the team at Coolings.

Dwayne has been working at Coolings since 2005

Jane Hopson

Paul will be sorely missed in the Company and amongst all his colleagues and friends in the horticulture industry in which he played such a big and influential part.

Both my daughters worked for Paul in their first weekend jobs. He was the perfect person to help them in their first steps in the employment world. He and Carol then continued to take a great interest in their career paths and what they were up to.

I have worked for Paul for 16 years and I will miss him enormously. I was welcomed immediately into the Coolings team and feel privileged to have worked for and known such a sincere and highly respected gentleman.

I will do my utmost to continue his passion for recycling and protecting our futures, even down to saving paperclips and envelopes which Paul always did whenever he visited the office.  Every used envelope then became his note pad for his next meeting or presentation. How he read his own hand-writing I will never know – I certainly couldn’t!

My condolences to Carol, Jessica and Tom and Paul’s brother David at this very sad time.

Jane has been working at Coolings since 2007

Lewis Normand

This saddens me very deeply. Like his father, Paul had a significant impact on my journey in Horticulture. The Coolings business, was my first real vision of horticultural retail and I learned a huge amount from it and him. His impact on the industry across the UK and into Europe was considerable and he will be missed by a great many.

Lewis worked at Coolings in the late 1990’s

Sophie Liebthal

Such sad news, I worked at Coolings for 6yrs and Paul was always so supportive, even after I left the business and always had time for a catch up when we bumped into each other out and about. I’ll never forget his colourful shirts at the staff parties! My thoughts are with Carol and the rest of the Cooling family x

Sophie worked at Coolings in 2010’s

Toby Davies

This is the saddest news. Paul took me on at Rushmore Hill when I was 16, little did I know I would end up there for 12 years! Paul was a Goliath in the industry who had respect and a deep fondness from his peers. Thinking of his family and friends at this difficult time.

Toby worked at Coolings in the 2000’s

Dan Short

I’ve rarely been so deeply shocked by anything as when I read my message from Colin Langmead earlier. Paul and his Dad Michael took me on at 21 for my first proper job and not til 35 did I leave for a different but still horticultural life in Canada. My years at Coolings were extremely happy and fulfilling and I still miss Rushmore Hill terribly, even though I am now approaching 50. Paul left an indelible mark on me as a man of integrity and intelligence, with a can do attitude and always a smile. This rubbed off on everyone who worked there. Thank you for your wisdom and your influence, your fun outlook and your ridiculous shirts. Until we meet again…..

Dan worked at Coolings in the 2000’s

We appreciate the kind words of condolence posted on our Facebook page. To read these messages or post your own, please click here.

Alternatively, if you would like to send a more personal message, Paul’s family have set up a special email address for Paul and hope that this will be used to send thoughts, memories and tales involving Paul, along with any messages of support for the family at this difficult time.

pauls.message.log@gmail.com