Two garden centres have joined the Great Western Buying Group, bringing the membership total to nine. The group says it is looking to expand further.

The new recruits are Caerphilly Garden Centre in South Glamorgan and Sunnydale Garden Centre in Cwmbran.

Steve Searle, store manager at GWBG member Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre in Somerset said the group had built good relationships with the best suppliers in the garden industry during its 15 years of working together. “We felt it was the right time to increase our presence in other parts of the country and we’re thrilled to have Caerphilly Garden Centre and Sunnydale Garden Centre come on board,” he added. “The two centres fit well with our geographical area and will strengthen our relationship with suppliers.”

The GWBG is a group of independent family-run garden centres who share best practice in buying and marketing. It is currently looking for more new members.

Phil Taylor, MD at Caerphilly Garden Centre and Sunnydale Garden Centre, said: “We are very pleased to have become part of such a prestigious and well organised buying group. A number of options were open to us but we felt that the Great Western Buying Group gave us the best fit for our centres.

“Combining our experience and skills in the market we feel that we can benefit from and positively contribute to its continued success. 

“It is an exciting time for us, the group and suppliers alike, providing us all with real potential to do more business and build on and develop exciting and new relationships.”

Group members include Monkton Elm, Highfield Garden Centre in Gloucester, Exeter’s Bernaville Garden Centre, Plymouth Garden Centre, Castle Gardens in Sherborne, Dorset, Brimsmore Garden Centre in Yeovil and Poundbury Garden Centre, also in Dorset. Former members include Trelawney in Cornwall, which is now owned by the Blue Diamond group.

For more Information, contact Steve Searle (s.searle@monkton-elm.co.uk) or Fiona Newton (fiona@plymouthgardencentre.co.uk)