In This Issue
Cowells saved from becoming a housing estate
“Business as usual” at up-for-sale Wyevale Garden Centres, admits CEO
May is a record for garden centre sales volumes... but only just
Business as usual at fire-ravaged Strikes within weeks
Total plant sales for May up by 21%
GIMA Golf & Activity Day a resounding success
John Athwal celebrates in true Premier style
Highfield Garden World welcomes third generation
Marathon walk to raise cash for Macmillan Cancer Support
Morrisons store reveals plans for garden centre
April was a rollercoaster month for garden centre sales
Plans to double size of Otter garden centre
Kent & Stowe launch 'Dig for Victory' gift range with Imperial War Museum
Bransford Webbs gears up for HTA National Plant Show
Extensive trialling leads Syngenta Flowers to resilient Imara impatiens walleriana
EU's PEST committee must separate fact from fiction
Help pondkeepers prepare for Summer with Tetra
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Pet firm fined £30,000 for supplying ‘fire-risk’ cushions to garden centre
Garden products up by 6% but 25% below record high
No making up of lost ground for Veg-2-Gro sales
Record May for Growing Media volumes
31 Novelties for the Novelty showcase at Garden Trials and Trade
Johnsons extends range to follow growing organic trend
Worfield Plants introduce new sales executive ahead of HTA show
Plantarium 2018: the ideal place to present your company
Wyevale Nurseries staff celebrate promotions
David Domoney shares ‘Grow Your Own’ knowledge with Mr Fothergill’s sales force
The best of last week's
Record-breaking month for up-for-sale Wyevale
Garden centre business back to normality...almost!
Gardman lands on National TV for the first time
LOFAssured initiative gains strength
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Abundance of inspiration from HTA Catering Conference
Squire’s serves up a delicious Wimbledon Cream Tea
Tong's Catering Supervisor recognised as a Rising Star
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Cowells saved from becoming a housing estate

Cowell's Garden Centre in Woolsington, Newcastle, has been saved after the family business bought its site from the landlord.

The future of Cowell’s Garden Centre, at Woolsington on the edge of Newcastle, had been put in doubt with its lease on the site coming to an end and the landlord pursuing plans to sell it for a housing development.

 

The multi-award winning garden centre was originally set up by Alan and Mavis Cowell in 1978, and a search for a new home for the business had been launched in 2012 by current companies co-directors: Alan and Mavis’ children, Martin Cowell and Jane Keating.

 

By 2017, however, the family were still struggling to find a new home for the business and the company brought in a team of advisors who suggested the business offer to buy the land from the landlord.


That offer has now been accepted and the company has been saved form closure.

 

In their local paper, The Chronicle, Martin Cowell said: “We are delighted to have been able to safeguard the future of the business and our employees’ livelihoods as we celebrate four great decades, and we look ahead to the next 40 years, and beyond.

 

“Securing the site forms a key part of our strategic growth plan which will allow the business to thrive, as we further expand our range of plants and nursery products over the next three to five years, whilst creating new jobs.”

 

The decision to buy the site was suggested by consultants at Gordon Brown Law Firm. It was negotiated by Gerald Eve, who was supported by accountants Tait Walker. HSBC provided the finance for the acquisition.

 

Mr Cowell added: “Following a long period of uncertainty for the business, we can now call Woolsington our permanent home.

 

“We are extremely grateful to our team of trusted advisors at GBLF, Tait Walker and HSBC who all worked seamlessly as a team to help us navigate what was a complicated process. Working in such a collaborative way was integral to ensuring we were able to acquire the site.

 

“We are also very thankful to our dedicated team, which has remained loyal to us, as well as the local community who have supported us over the years.”

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Lolly Lee
That's great news! It's an outstanding centre.
Robin Tuppen
This is a great story! With so many of the independents either closing down or being bought up by the groups it is good to hear that Cowells is staying put.