“We Haven’t Seen A Gnome In Six Months Unfortunately”: Garden Gnome Crisis Hits UK After Suez Blockage

Old garden gnome from clay
B&T Magazine
By B&T Magazine



In a real blow for the British, the blockage of the Suez canal and lockdown has led to a garden crisis: not enough gnomes.

According to a report from the BBC, a lack of raw materials has led to a national shortage of garden gnomes, contributed to by the slowdown of world trade after the Suez Canal became blocked by the ship Ever Given.

Ian Byrne, an assistant manager at Highfield Garden World in Whitminster told the BBC that there had been a “boom” in sales of the popular garden ornament.

“Raw materials are becoming a bit of an issue and unfortunately gnomes are a victim of that shortage of supply. Gnomes of any type, plastic, stone or concrete, are in short supply.”

“They’ve been very popular over the last couple of seasons, we’ve seen a massive upswing in the sales of gnomes and definitely a different clientele wanting gnomes too.”

“We haven’t seen a gnome in six months now, unfortunately.”

Iain Wylie, who is the Garden Centre Association’s chief executive, told the publication that there were increased pressures on the gnome supply chain.

“With goods arriving from abroad, garden centres were affected by the ship getting stuck in the [Suez] canal as much as any other industry. Garden furniture, ornaments, of which gnomes would be some, being stuck in containers trying to come over here.”

The Evergiven blocked the Suez Canal for six days, and saw a halt to transit for billions of dollars of goods and supplies.

The UK has seen a spike in demand for other garden furniture, with gazebos, fire pit and other garden equipment sales rising.

Featured Image: iStock/schulzie




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