Family-run Arboretum Garden Centre in Leighlinbridge, Co.Carlow, are planning a second outlet in Co.Wicklow.

The Doyle family are to take over the National Garden Exhibition Centre in Kilquade in a €2 million deal and are reportedly planning to invest another €2 million developing the site as a destination centre with a café selling home-cooked food. They hope to start trading on the site within months.  In 2014 their existing centre reported turnover of €6m, about a third of which came through catering.

The deal takes them closer to the lucrative Dublin cachment area.

Arboretum holds Ireland’s  'National Store of the Year 2015' award, presented to them at the recent Retail Excellence Ireland awards.



Above: the restaurant at Arboretum in Co.Carlow.