Nurturing growth is not an unfamiliar topic for British Garden Centres, a business that operates more than 70 garden centres across the UK. From the seed of an idea, the organisation has grown rapidly over the last four decades, blossoming into an integral part of communities throughout England and Wales.
Brothers Charles and Robert Stubbs, Founders of British Garden Centres, gained their first taste of business at a young age when they sold seedlings to local people from a stall outside their home. From this point of origin, the pair’s passion and drive only grew, and in 1987, the first British Garden Centres store opened.
In 2019, British Garden Centres’ footprint surged when the company acquired 39 garden centres from Wyevale and eight from Hillview. Since then, the company’s network of stores has continued to grow, while internally, more family members have entered the business. Charles’ wife, Phillippa Stubbs, currently operates as Director, while Amy Stubbs, daughter of Charles, is playing a key role in the company’s latest phase of expansion as Development & Project Manager. Youngest daughter, Libby Stubbs, has also joined the business, working in the marketing department.
“From our very first store in Woodthorpe, Lincolnshire, we have evolved into a business with more than 70 stores, and we continue to acquire new sites as opportunities occur,” Amy says. “We are a truly national brand now, known for our consistency across the UK.
“At the same time,” she adds, “we encourage our sites to make themselves unique. There is a good deal of freedom across the network and we’re not afraid to react and adapt in response to specific market trends or customer needs.”
Boundless Potential
With a focus on quality plants and products, first-class service, and affordable prices, British Garden Centres is on a mission to operate sites within easy reach of everyone in the UK. Brigg Garden Centre in Lincolnshire remains the company’s flagship site, but British Garden Centres has recently acquired several major sites with boundless potential.
“A lot of our new acquisitions are big ‘destination’ stores,” Amy reveals. “These include Heighley Gate Garden Centre in Morpeth, as well as Northampton Garden Centre and Rugby Garden Centre. These sites are all very likely to break into our top five stores for revenue.”
By acquiring existing garden centres, British Garden Centres is able to capitalise on established facilities and customer bases, providing the company with a head-start in new regions. However, Amy suggests that the most important part of this process is the way British Garden Centres adapts and improves its new locations when they become part of the brand.
“When we put our stamp on new stores – including introducing our stock and our prices – the feedback from customers is always really positive. They notice the changes and buy into the new store.
“It’s not just about being a convenient location where customers can get all they need for their home and garden,” Amy comments. “We want to create stores with a welcoming atmosphere that make people feel part of the larger British Garden Centres family.”
Empowering People
An important part of the British Garden Centres experience is customer service. The company currently employs over 3,000 people – all of whom represent British Garden Centres, and everything it stands for, across the UK.
“It’s a vast network of staff, but we really try to empower our people and encourage them to make decisions,” Amy states. “Part of that empowerment is in the professional development and training we offer – there are so many opportunities throughout our company, and we try to communicate this to our team members and help them grow with us. We might be a large company now, but we still want our workforce to feel valued and looked after in the same way they would in a small family business.”
Having established such a popular brand, British Garden Centres revamped its webstore in 2023. The online retail presence has proved successful so far, but is firmly an additional, rather than alternative, channel for the business.
British Garden Centres’ brick and mortar stores remain the focal point of the operation. More than just retail outlets, many of these sites boast restaurants, making them an essential gathering place for local communities.
“After Covid, there was some concern about our restaurants, but they’ve actually come back stronger than ever,” Amy declares. “Restaurants are a key part of our model going forward, and when we look to acquire new sites, we always have this in mind.”
Family-run and People-focused
More in-store restaurants across the British Garden Centres footprint will help increase regular footfall – a valuable boost for a company whose trade can sometimes be weather-dependent.
“We had some beautiful weather in the UK during spring. It meant lots of people wanted to be out in the garden, which led to excellent trade for us,” Amy reports. “Now though, we’re looking at how we can diversify and remain popular even when the weather is not so good for gardening. Restaurants are an important part of that process, but we have to stay innovative, working with concession partners and keeping stores fresh so that customers want to visit more regularly.”
Seizing opportunities when they arise, British Garden Centres is set to continue its growth trajectory, expanding through an increasing network of stores, while also investing in its popular, existing sites. For example, in addition to restaurants, the business has assessed the possibility of adding farm shops to some of its locations.
As British Garden Centres’ footprint grows, public awareness of the business grows with it. The company has enjoyed the national spotlight in recent times as a key sponsor of BBC Gardeners World Live. Simultaneously, British Garden Centres is staying true to its roots as a family-run, people-focused organisation at the heart of many local communities.
“We raised £30,000 for Greenfingers last year, a charity that creates therapeutic outdoor spaces at hospices,” says Amy. “We will continue to support Greenfingers in 2025. In fact, we recently won a gold medal at Harrogate Spring Flower Show for a garden designed to raise awareness for the charity.
“Providing this kind of support to people and communities is really important to us. We want to be a national brand and a real household name, but we will always see our stores as community spaces for local people.”