Guy Hands on Terra Firma’s acquisition of the Garden Centre Group

Terra Firma chairman Guy Hands has spoken out about his £276m purchase of Garden Centre Group this spring.

He said gardening is "good business which is why Terra Firma has recently got involved by acquiring the Garden Centre Group".

Hands said the UK Garden products market is worth over £5.6bn, with a third spent at the country's 1,000 garden centres, plus DIY stores and supermarkets accounting for a similar proportion of the market.

He lauded GCG's Bridgemere centre, which has "diversified its interests to host a wide range of shops, restaurants and play areas for children but it is still its plants and gardens which remain the main attraction for the 1.5m visitors every year".

The Garden Centre Group "fits very well into Terra Firma's long-established strategy of focusing on long-term investment in asset-rich businesses in essential industries", said Hands.

"We see it as a business which has enormous potential to grow. Just like the best gardeners, we are prepared to put in the effort and resources to see the business bloom. We also understand that what makes garden centres so popular with their customers is their individuality."

Source : Matthew Appleby – Horticulture Week
www.hortweek.com/go/news/article/1133153/guy-hands-speaks-garden-centre-group-acquisition/