Monkton Elm Garden Centre

Context: 

Monkton Elm Garden Centre is a large, independent destination offering retail, restaurant, and catering facilities. Its operations require significant energy use across heating, lighting, and kitchen equipment. As a business that values strategic planning and customer experience, Monkton Elm prioritises both cost control and sustainability when managing energy. 

Problem: 

The garden centre’s leadership team faced a complicated and volatile energy market. Contract renewals were reactive, creating stress for the finance team and senior management. Market instability and a major restaurant refurbishment further increased consumption and risk. Without clear guidance, long-term decision-making became difficult, threatening operational budgets and environmental commitments. 

Solution: 

NGP partnered closely with Monkton Elm to simplify procurement and bring clarity to complex decisions. Working with account manager Chris and his team, Monkton Elm secured medium-term fixed rates at highly competitive prices, avoiding potential cost barriers. NGP guided the centre through the restaurant refurbishment and recontracting process, ensuring continuity of supply and minimal disruption. By explaining market conditions and future expectations, NGP empowered the team to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach to energy management. The partnership now enables Monkton Elm to maintain competitive energy costs while monitoring its carbon footprint and environmental impact without affecting customer experience. 

“Prior to working with NGP, the stress of managing energy contracts directly was not something that any kind of business professional seems to look forward to. But since working with NGP, that’s been much more of a breeze. 

When you’ve got the faith and the trust in a business such as NGP to achieve the outcomes that the business needs, it makes sleeping a lot easier at night.” 

— Dave Formosa, Head of Finance