British Garden Centres have acquired Roxton Garden Centre in Bedfordshire, which becomes their eighth outlet.
The deal came with a special condition – that BGC joint owner Charles Stubbs named the day to marry his long-term partner Phillippa Nickson, who is the company’s general manager and has worked for the company since 1998. Stubbs had to propose before being allowed to buy another centre. The couple will now marry next summer.
The purchase takes Lincolnshire-based BGC into southern territory for the first time. Their HQ site is Brigg in Lincolnshire. The other centres are Woodthorpe (Lincs), Arcadia (Middlesborough), Gilberdyke (East Yorkshire), Irton (North Yorkshire), Spring (East Yorkshire) and Towneley (Lancashire).
The Roxton deal was completed last week for an undisclosed sum, with Alexander Mackie Associates acting for the vendors.
Stubbs and his brother Robert, the other owner, plan to grow turnover at the 12-acre Roxton site near the A1 from its current £1m by increasing the stock range and by adding new features, including a play area. The centre already has a 6ft high living maze.
In the long term BGC say they are aiming for a total of 10 garden centres within a 2.5-hour drive from their Lincolnshire base.
