Wyevale acquires Crowders Garden Centre

Wyevale Garden Centres has confirmed that it has acquired Crowders Garden Centre in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, boosting its network to 153 centres.

Robert Crowder, who owns the business, said: "As a seventh generation owner of Crowders, I am pleased to say that Wyevale Garden Centres' enthusiasm and determination to preserve our heritage assures me that they will continue to serve Horncastle with the same excellent standards we always have.

"WGC has promised to invest in our people, retain and enhance our diverse offering as well as work closely with our team to develop the centre.

"The Crowder family will retain and develop the rest of the business which includes the wholesale nursery and online business and we will work closely with WGC to ensure there is smooth transition of ownership."

Chief executive of Wyevale Garden Centres, Kevin Bradshaw, explained: "It is very much business as usual at Crowders.

"The Crowder family has been serving the community since 1798, and so we plan to work closely with the team and the Horncastle community to decide how best to preserve the business' unparalleled history.

"We are thrilled that centre manager, Ken Dawson, and the team will be staying on and are committed to helping us map out the centre's future.

"This acquisition fits well within our aims at WGC; it will help strengthen our national presence and build upon our commitment to providing the 'very best of local and national' in garden centre retailing."

The Crowders Garden Centre press release reads as follows:

"Today marks a big milestone for us here at Crowders. The Garden Centre will now become part of the Wyevale Garden Centres estate, allowing us to focus on our wholesale nursery and online business.

After running the centre since 1983 we are pleased to say that Wyevale Garden Centres’ enthusiasm and determination to preserve our heritage assures us that they will continue to serve Horncastle with the same excellent standards we always have. WGC has promised to invest in our people, retain and enhance our diverse offering as well as work closely with our team to develop the centre.

For the time being it is business as usual at the centre and WGC will keep you updated of any changes. Info can also be found at: http://www.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk/crowders

We will continue to serve our enthusiastic customers throughout the UK with everything for the garden, including our home grown plants, through our online Garden Centre at www.crowders.co.uk which remains under our ownership and management.

We will also continue our wholesale nursery business which supplies trees and plants for major developments, infrastructure and construction projects nationwide."  

Sources : Wyevale Garden Centres and Crowders Garden Centre