COVID-19 lockdown hikes up demand for Scott Bros’ topsoil

A family-run haulage, plant hire and aggregates firm has experienced a near six-fold increase in demand for topsoil during the coronavirus pandemic.

Scott Bros is processing as many as 30 one-ton bags of soil every day, as homeowners use the COVID-19 lockdown period to work on gardens and yards.

Bosses say the demand at one point nearly crashed the company’s website.

As well as domestic customers, the firm, based in Billingham, near Stockton, is also servicing the needs of commercial landscaping and utility companies, which need topsoil for turf laying and seeding and land reinstatement projects, respectively.

Director Peter Scott [pictured] says the business would normally fill and deliver up to five one-ton bags of topsoil every day.

However, the impact of the coronavirus lockdown means the figure has rocketed to as many as six times that number.

He said: “Early on in the lockdown we experienced a big rise in people hiring our midi skips as they busied themselves with jobs around the home, clearing out the garage or tidying the garden.

“Since then, the focus has switched to topsoil, as those lucky enough to have a garden or yard enjoy their outdoor spaces with the arrival of the better weather.

“At one point, so many people were trying to order topsoil that it almost crashed our website, but we are working hard to meet the demand – which is helping keep people in jobs.

“We have a safe system in place; people can order and pay via our website and we deliver without any need for human contact.”