Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the change of ownership of Layham Garden Centre, in the village of Staple near Canterbury, Kent, which has been let on a long term lease to expanding regional operator Ripleys Garden Centres.

The garden centre was owned by brothers Mark and Peter Johnson, who had recently extended the buildings and added a large café. The site has a long history and strong reputation for its horticultural excellence, particularly its renowned rose selection.

Layham Garden Centre occupies a substantial site featuring a large retail glasshouse, twin-span poly tunnels, a newly built café with 70 internal covers, and a spacious retail plant area. The site also benefits from a large customer car park and modern commercial kitchen, and is located just eight miles from Canterbury and five miles from Sandwich.

Tom Ripley, Managing Director of Ripleys Garden Centres, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Layham Garden Centre into the Ripleys family, which we have rebranded Ripleys Garden Centre and The Rose Garden Café. It’s a beautifully maintained site with a rich horticultural heritage and a fantastic team. Our aim is to expand the existing retail offering by enhancing the plant offering, adding many additional product categories and investing in the café experience.”

Tom Glanvill, Director – Garden Centres at Christie & Co, managed the sale and added, “Layham Garden Centre is a high-quality site in an affluent area, offering a fantastic opportunity for growth. We’re pleased to have facilitated this transaction between two committed parties and to see continued momentum in the garden centre market. This speedy letting is another example of the strong demand we’re seeing for well-established garden centre businesses and I am confident that the business will flourish under the new ownership.”