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Retail & Consumer

Investor backing sees British Garden Centres swoop for final Wyevale sites

Eight more outlets taken on as outdoor entrepreneur Antony Harker invests to grow footprint of Lincolnshire giant

British Garden Centres has taken over 37 Wyvale Garden Centres.(Image: British Garden Centres / Wyvale Garden Centres)

Eight more former Wyvale outlets have been acquired by British Garden Centres, as the company takes the total number of branches it operates to 57 across the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ.

The final batch of garden centres are located across the South East of England, and have been brought on board after investment was made by Antony Harker, a prominent figure in the sector.

The additions, together with 16 of the 37 it had already acquired, will be operated under a newly incorporated entity, BGC South.

As previously reported, Wyevale’s estate was being sold off following a successful turnaround, with the company exiting the market.

BGC now aims to “maximise the potential of each centre” and anticipates creating further employment opportunities.

Brigg Garden Centre.(Image: Brigg Garden Centre)

Founded by the Stubbs family, initially in Alford, Lincolnshire, and now headquartered at the flagship Brigg site in the north of the county, Mr Harker has come on board as a significant backer, having sold his business for £40 million last year.

He first worked in the family-ran Tong Garden Centre, leaving in the early Noughties to set up Kelkay at Pollington, near Goole.

From capital of £15,000 he created a £23 million turnover business, specialising in the supply of decorative aggregates to garden centres. US-owned Ames swooped in February 2018.