Alan Roper, the managing director of Blue Diamond Group, the largest operator of garden centres in the UK, presented his vision to staff at the Ryde centre this morning (Tuesday).
Promising to build on the success created by outgoing owners Chris and Mary Leslie, Alan told the County Press the group will look at “enhancing” what’s already on offer.
He said he understands that, from the outside looking in, it may feel like it is a big corporation taking over and changing a family-run business.
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But, he said, the centre will retain a sense of independence, ensuring staff still feel like “team Busy Bee”.
“When you come into a garden centre like this, it’s the people that make the business, not anything else”, he said.
When asked whether the popular Christmas World will stay, he said: “Oh God, yes!”
“We do big Christmases, so we’ll be building on what they do here”, he said.
Alan Roper in the Olive Tree restaurant (Image: IWCP) Alan said Busy Bee will remain relatively the same until after the festive period, at which point there will be a “complete revamp”, due to finish in March.
“There will be a new food department, new home department, new plant department, new gardening department – new everything”, he said.
He said offerings in the plant area will be improved, with “better pricing”.
Meanwhile, in the Olive Tree restaurant, the number of covers will be increased and it will be made a “little bit more cosy.”
The group will also be bringing in its own fashion brand, Cerulean.
Alan said he was first approached by Busy Bee seven years ago but the timing was not right.
Alan giving a presentation to staff at Busy Bee (Image: IWCP)
Busy Bee Garden Centre, in Ryde (Image: IWCP) After visiting Chris and Mary in April of this year, he thought they were a “lovely couple” and wanted to continue their legacy.
Living in Guernsey and owning a centre in Jersey, Alan said he knows all too well the challenges that come with being an Island.
He plans to recruit more staff, while retaining the “nice” team already in place.
“People will see Busy Bee with a new level of experience but it will still be Busy Bee”, he promised.
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