Wyevale Garden Centres (WGC) has just announced the sale of six more centres to Blue Diamond.
This follows the sale of eight centres to the garden centre operator in July 2018 and one in August 2018.
The acquisition of this portfolio increases the presence of the Blue Diamond brand to 36 centres and includes the following sites: Blooms Worcester, Canterbury Chartham, Hereford, Lower Morden, Rake and Tunbridge Wells. All sites will continue to operate as garden centres and the sales are expected to complete mid-September.
These acquisitions mean Blue Diamond now jump above Wyevale in terms of number of sites owned.
| Leading Garden Centre Groups by number of outlets |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Jul-19 |
Jun-18 |
Group |
Outlets |
change since June 18 |
| 1 |
2 |
Dobbies |
69 |
35 |
| 2 |
4= |
Blue Diamond |
36 |
15 |
| 3 |
1 |
Wyevale Garden Centres |
34 |
-111 |
| 4 |
8= |
British Garden Centres |
24 |
14 |
| 5 |
3 |
Klondyke |
22 |
0 |
| 6 |
4= |
Notcutts |
18 |
0 |
| 7= |
7 |
Hilliers |
16 |
4 |
| 7= |
6 |
Squires |
16 |
1 |
| 9 |
8= |
Cherry Lane |
14 |
2 |
| 10 |
8= |
Hillview |
8 |
-3 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Source GTN - updated 23-7-19, includes transactions in progress |
|
|
Anthony Jones, Chief Operating Officer of WGC said: Alan and the team’s decision to take on six more sites is testament to both the strength of our garden centres and the level of trust and confidence that has developed between the WGC and Blue Diamond teams through this sale process. I would like to say a big thank you to colleagues across these six centres for their passion, expertise and hard work and wish them the very best for the future under new ownership.”
Alan Roper, Managing Director of Blue Diamond, said: “I went back to Wyevale Garden Centres to look for only a couple more centres and came out with six! Geographically all the centres are a perfect fit and enable us to deliver our full Blue Diamond proposition. We look forward to working with our new colleagues across the centres and welcoming them into the Blue Diamond family. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank Anthony and the team at Wyevale Garden Centres who during all acquisitions have been supportive, thoughtful and professional throughout.”
Following the completion of this and other previously announced sales, WGC will trade 34 garden centres plus 6 centres trading under license.
Of the 34 still to be sold, eight are Freehold sites: Chilton, Chipperfield, Hitchin, John Brown, Lewes, Par, Pulborough and Winnersh.
And 26 are Leasehold centres: Blooms Cheltenham, Blooms Swindon, Bournville, Braintree, Bridgemere, Brockworth, Carmarthen, Crawley, Elm Court, Findon, Harrow, Ongar, Osterley, Paddock Wood, Potters Bar, Ramsgate, Rayleigh, Springfield, Sprowston, Stanway, Stevenage, Syon Park, Thatcham, Tring, Upminster and Wimborne.
