British Garden Centres has announced the acquisition of St Bridget Nurseries in Exeter. In a significant move for the brand, the historic site will be renamed Exeter Garden Centre, marking the 80th location to join the family.
This milestone follows an exceptionally strong start to 2026 for the business. The addition of Exeter Garden Centre comes hot on the heels of a rapid expansion period, which has successfully seen Dronfield, Grantham, Pepper Hill, Staplehurst, Knaresborough, and Alton welcomed into the portfolio earlier this year.
St Bridget Nurseries has been a staple of the Exeter area since 1925, serving the local community for over a century. From just an acre of land in 1925, St Bridget Nurseries has grown to about 100 acres under the Langdon family, currently run by the fourth generation, Tammy Falloon. Known for growing and selling quality plants, the Sidmouth Road site fits perfectly into British Garden Centres' portfolio of community-focused, plant-led destinations.
Charles Stubbs, Founder and Director at British Garden Centres, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the Exeter team into the British Garden Centres family. Reaching our 80th centre is a momentous occasion for us, and we couldn’t be prouder. St Bridget Nurseries has a wonderful history, and as it transitions to Exeter Garden Centre, we intend to uphold and build upon its reputation for excellence, whilst carrying on the family-led values that make it such a great store in the community.”
Tammy Falloon, Owner of St Bridget’s Nurseries, added: “St Bridget Garden Centre has been in my family for 101 years, and after 20 years at the helm, the time has come for me to pass our beloved family business onto another family to see it through the next century. I am proud to announce that it will now become known as Exeter Garden Centre and be part of the British Garden Centres group.
“Charles, Robert, Phillippa and Amy Stubbs bring the experience, energy and vision needed to take the company to the next level. This transition represents an exciting new chapter, embracing new opportunities for growth and innovation whilst continuing to offer customers first class service and building on our strong foundation.
“Thank you to all our supporters, for your custom over the years and to our great team present and past, who have worked with us to build the company. It has been an honour to lead our team and serve you all, and I will always carry immense pride in what we have achieved together.”
British Garden Centres (BGC) is the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group with 80 centres around the country. The group is owned and led by the Stubbs family, who also own and operate Woodthorpe Leisure Park in Lincolnshire.
BGC was launched in 1990 with the opening of Woodthorpe Garden Centre by brothers Charles and Robert Stubbs. Since 2018, it has expanded rapidly with the acquisition of garden centres, allowing it to grow from its heartland to the business it is now, with 80 garden centres spread from Carmarthen to Ramsgate, Wimborne to East Durham.
The group has a team of over 3,500 colleagues working across the garden centres, restaurants, growing nurseries, distribution centres, Woodthorpe Leisure Park, and Woody’s Restaurant & Bar.
