Wyevale, the UK’s biggest garden centre operator, is to sell six sites to two garden centre groups.
Four centres – Cheddar, Dorking, Marlow and Lechlade – are to be sold to Hillier Nurseries, and two centres – Jack’s Patch and Taunton – to Otter Nurseries. The deals are expected to go through during June and July.
Anthony Jones, chief operating officer of Wyevale Garden Centres, said: “The colleagues at these centres have played a key role in the success of their centres and I’d like to thank them for their continued passion and expertise, and wish them well for the future with their new owners. Meanwhile, we continue to evaluate a wide range of options as part of our ongoing sale process.”
HOME-GROWN
Chris Francis, retail and wholesale director of Hillier, said: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of four new garden centres joining the Hillier family business, growing the group to 16 garden centres serving customers across the South of England.
“The Hillier team look forward to working with our new colleagues and getting to know the local gardening communities, inspiring them with our great quality products and wide range of home-grown plants, all backed by renowned Hillier expertise.”
Jacqui Taylor, managing director of Otter Garden Centres, said: “As an independent, family run group of five garden centres in the South West of England, we are pleased to welcome Taunton Garden centre and Jack’s Patch Garden Centre to the team. We have three plant-growing nurseries and look forward to expanding their plant growing production, supplying these two additional garden centres with their own home-grown plants.”
Christie & Co, the specialist business property advisor managing the sale process for WGC, has run a two-phase process that has achieved considerable interest from a wide variety of buyers.
A spokesman said: “The opportunity to run one, a small group or a portfolio of garden centres has ignited interest within the sector and beyond and there are still opportunities to acquire strongly located and well performing centres.”
Wyevale sold two other centres – Barnett Hill and Seven Hills – last month (March). Barnett Hill went to Cherry Lane, the ‘value’ garden centre group, and will continue to be run as a garden centre by the new owners. Seven Hills has been sold to a property development and investment company.
