The family owned Hillmount garden centre chain has opened a new site in Carrickfergus following a £1.5 million investment.
The new site on Beltoy Road takes the Mercer family’s store portfolio to five.
The fourth-generation gardening business has refurbished the former Sunnybank garden centre in the Co Antrim town, previously owned by the Hardy family.
It joins Hillmount’s sites in Belfast, Bangor, Newtownards and Cheshire.
The £1.5m investment includes a new 60-seater café.
Mayor of Mid & East Antrim Borough, Alderman William McCaughey (centre) opens the new Hillmount garden centre in Carrickfergus with David, Robin, Reya and Alan Mercer.
A total of ten new retail and hospitality jobs have been created.
The new store also features an expanded plant area, extensive range of garden furniture and outdoor living essentials, BBQs, gardening equipment and exquisite giftware.
Hillmount’s managing director, Robin Mercer, said: “Our family has been dedicated to the mental health and wellbeing of the gardening community since 1940, urging local families to connect with nature and share in the joy of gardening, and this new chapter in Carrick reflects our ongoing commitment to excellence, sustainability and community engagement.
“Already we have been inundated with well wishes from new customers of Hillmount Carrick and we are encouraged by the warm welcome we have received from the local community. We are grateful to the Mayor for performing our official opening and we are looking forward to building lasting relationships with our neighbours across the Mid and East Antrim borough.”