The owner of Bybrook Barn Garden Centre at Ashford in Kent is reported to have confirmed that he is in discussions with potential purchasers.

An article in the local press claimed Longacres Nurseries, which has garden centres at Bagshot and Shepperton and a garden shop at Chobham, was rumoured to have expressed an interest in taking over Bybrook Barn, whose managers had earlier declined to deny rumours that it was set to close down.

Bybrook Barn’s owner Terry Burch, who set up the original centre in a nearby barn in 1975, is reported since to have quashed the stories of imminent closure but confirmed he has been talking to other garden centre operators about a potential sale in order to secure the long-term future of the business. He is said to have described the closure rumours as “absolute nonsense”. He also said he had had approaches from developers but preferred to sell the business as a going concern to protect staff.

Mr Burch is in his eighties.

GTN Xtra attempted to contact Longacres for comment but without a response as we reached the deadline.