Dobbies Garden Centre opens in Braehead

Dobbies has opened a new garden centre at Braehead, Renfrewshire, the £8m Dobbies Garden World employs 120 people.

Georgia Mearns, primary two from Houston Primary School, will cut the ribbon to officially launch the new centre to the public. Georgia won a competition to design a secret garden which will be created at their school with help from Dobbies plant experts.

Dobbies chief executive James Barnes said:

"We are delighted to open our newest centre in Braehead which we believe is a concept for a new generation of garden centres in the UK.

"The Garden World is in keeping with our provenance and heritage as expert horticulturalists since 1865 whilst providing a modern destination for today’s consumer. We’re looking forward to returning to our roots and welcoming customers at Braehead, who we hope will love Dobbies and our new state-of-the-art centre."

The Braehead centre will also house a Farm Foodhall offering locally-grown produce from the area, as well as a restaurant, specialist pets and aquatics department and outdoor living and gifts.

The centre was built with a timber frame, and uses other renewable energy systems such as grey water recycling.

Dobbies in Braehead has also appointed a community champion who will be responsible for building links with local communities through the Dobbies Here We Grow campaign which offers free equipment, support and expertise to the local groups, schools and charities to get growing. The Braehead community champion will also manage the Dobbies Little Seedlings Club which encourages children to take an interest in gardening.

Dobbies will open stores this year in Ashford, Kent in March, Livingston (March), Peterborough (autumn) and Liverpool (autumn).

Source : - Horticulture Week