Garden Centre Group takes over management of Country Gardens

The Garden Centre Group is officially taking on the management Country Homes and Gardens, which trades as Country Gardens.

The move brings together two companies that have operated effectively as one since 2008, with GCG already owning 29 per cent of the smaller group before this week.

GCG chief executive Nicholas Marshall was chief executive of Country Gardens before taking over at GCG in September 2008.

The 12 Country Gardens centres turn over £16.9m. GCG has 119 centres and is believed to be about to go up for sale.

The move is believed to be coincidental to a possible sale by Lloyds Banking Group of GCG, which may begin in weeks rather than months.

Country Gardens will now give GCG predictable rental cashflow to add to its bottom line.

Source : Matthew Appleby - Horticulture Week
www.hortweek.com/Retail/article/1079007/garden-centre-group-takes-management-country-gardens/