Worcester’s David’s Nurseries, voted Britain’s best garden centre last year by The Sun, and winners of GTN’s Greatest Small Garden Centre Team for the past four years, is to be sold.
The owners, David & Sarah Beauchamp, are to retire 32 years after setting up the business as a small nursery.
“We’ve worked very hard at building the garden centre business and have been very lucky to have such local and experienced staff alongside us for the journey” said David Beauchamp, “but Sarah and I feel now is the time to retire and hand over the reins to somebody else who can take the business to the next stage. We have helped our customers create their own gardens and now it is time to use our expertise to build our own garden from scratch.”
David’s Nurseries has a strong following within Worcester and the surrounding area. The 4-acre site garden centre has full planning consent covering its 23,000 sq. ft. of retail buildings. It employs six full-time staff and has a turnover of £1.2 million.
Mike Gilbert of Gilbert Evans, who are advising the Beauchamps on the disposal, said the business would suit somebody who want to invest in a business with a good core client base. “We will consider either a sale or a lease,” he said.
Sarah Beauchamp said “We are passionate about plants and their care. I am sure we have been voted GTN’s team of the year for the last four years because we strive to provide excellent quality plants, value for money and the best customer service in the area. Having knowledgeable staff in place who can give accurate advice is hard to find at many centres as less people are coming into the industry.
“Although the trading conditions have been difficult over the last 12 months we are constantly looking for ways to drive footfall. Extending our café in January of this year and offering talks and classes in our purpose built class room have certainly helped. We have a very strong following with our garden club and our coach trips are always a sell out.”
Until a buyer is found, it’s business as usual, the couple said.
