Blue Diamond To Open UK's Largest Home And Garden Centre

Scotch Corner Designer Village has announced that it has just signed a lease for a 160,000 sq ft home and garden centre with Blue Diamond, which will be the largest in the UK. 

This large space will showcase the company’s superb range of plants, all seasons, indoor and outdoor as well as homeware, garden furniture and fashion and will be an integral part of Scotch Corner Designer Village. The store will not only surprise and delight first-time visitors, but it will also serve as a regular pit-stop for the local community. Visitors will also be able to entertain their children in the soft-play area, enjoy some lunch or a drink in the Gin Bar. 

With an increased emphasis on making one’s home a haven and creating inspirational outdoor spaces, this announcement comes at an opportune moment and demonstrates Scotch Corner Designer Village’s commitment to creating the leading outlet shopping and leisure destination in the North of England. 

Alan Roper, Managing Director of Blue Diamond, said: “I am delighted to have signed this partnership with Scotch Corner Designer Village. As attention to detail is fundamental to both companies, I am truly excited at the prospect of working together to create a stylish destination for tourists and the local community alike. The plants, product and food that we curate will all serve to create a memorable experience for all.” 

The Blue Diamond Home and Garden Centre will extend Scotch Corner Designer Village’s luxury environment designed in the Yorkshire architectural style. 

Simon Waterfield, developer and co-owner of Scotch Corner Richmond LLP, said: “Blue Diamond will be a huge asset to Scotch Corner Designer Village. It will prove to be a great resource for the local community as well as a stylish inspiration for our visitors. It will also provide a wonderful spot to relax and entertain the family.”

Scotch Corner Richmond LLP  submitted plans for the Blue Diamond Garden Centre to be built next to the Designer Outlet Village that already has planning consent, adjacent to the A1(M) and the A606 near Richmond last week.

The garden centre plans, which have a similar look and feel to the East Bridgford Blue Diamond Garden centre, allow for 10,761 square metres of new internal floorspace, bigger than East Bridgford, and 624 car parking spaces.  

Alan Roper told GTN Xtra, We are planning to be open autumn next year.  The build starts autumn this year." 

Scotch Corner Designer Village is set to be the leading outlet and leisure destination in the North of England. Phase One will cover 50 acres, comprising of 80 luxury boutiques, cafes and restaurants. 

Located on the major A1(M)/A66 Scotch Corner junction, the scheme will benefit from 44 million people in 27.5 million vehicles travelling through the area every year and being one of the most accessible retail and leisure opportunities in the UK. The site will be a great location for a day-out, as well as an enjoyable break in a road journey between England and Scotland. 

The scheme will also benefit from an immediate catchment of 4.5 million residents within a 60-minute off-peak drivetime, with more than double that (9.8 million) within a 90-minute off-peak drivetime. The site is expected to attract annual footfall of 4.0m visitors in Phase One and will rank 4^th in the UK for estimated sales density when complete. 

Located on a wider 100-acre site, also owned by Scotch Corner Richmond LLP, the developer has ambitions for further leisure and sporting facilities, a hotel, drive-thru food offer, petrol filling station and employment units. This will create a unique destination, offering a wholly different experience to other outlet centres in the North of England. 

Developed by Scotch Corner Richmond LLP, the scheme is the creation of property developer Simon Waterfield and his long-standing colleague Peter Mullen, who has a wealth of retail experience having founded Thomas Pink and made Hunter the brand it is today.

Source : Reproduced with permission from GTN Xtra

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