Fryer’s Garden Centre at Knutsford was named as Blue Diamond’s Best Garden Centre of 2016 at the group’s annual awards.

The centre, acquired by Blue Diamond in 2011, fought off challenges from 16 other centres, including regional rivals Trentham and Grosvenor.

For the second year in a row, The Vines Restaurant at Chatsworth Garden Centre (above) was nominated Restaurant of the Year.

Blue Diamond’s MD, Alan Roper, told staff who assembled in Coventry for the awards that the group was close to achieving £100m turnover. This “landmark progress” was down to excellent customer service, quality products and re-investing profits rather than taking on debt.