Dobbies Garden Centres closed eight of its garden centres across the UK in 2025 as part of a major restructuring plan aimed at securing the company’s long-term future. The closures, which took between January and March, included sites in Rugby, Morpeth, Stapleton, Havant, Hare Hatch, Leicester, Aylesbury and Northampton.
This came after a turbulent period for the company, which has been reassessing its nationwide portfolio amid rising operational costs and shifting consumer behaviour. In a statement, a Dobbies spokesperson said the decision formed part of a strategic plan to strengthen the business and improve its profitability.
It’s not just Dobbies that’s been struggling in 2025 – a host of other retailers are either closing stores or closing altogether. This follows higher NIC contributions inflicted by the Labour Government.
“The restructuring plan and other strategic initiatives are expected to return Dobbies to sustainable profitability through site rationalisations, rent reductions, and other tangible cost savings,” the spokesperson said.
“These measures will secure Dobbies’ long-term future and allow access to future investment.”
However, not all of the locations will be lost to the gardening public. The Northampton branch, which closed in early March, was immediately taken over by British Garden Centres and continues to operate under its new ownership.
Similarly, several Dobbies sites that closed in late 2024, including Gloucester, Gosforth, Reading and Stratford-upon-Avon, have since reopened under other major operators such as Blue Diamond and British Garden Centres, indicating that while the Dobbies name is retreating from some towns, the garden centre sites themselves remain active.
Beyond Dobbies, a number of independent and specialist garden retailers have also announced closures in 2025.
In September, Richard Griffith House Plants Ltd, a houseplant specialist based at a third-party garden centre in Knaresborough, ceased trading following administration. The following month, The Place for Plants in East Bergholt, Suffolk, closed its doors after 30 years in business, with the premises set to be taken over by an online retailer.
Dobbies garden centres that closed in 2025
Rugby – closing January 19
Morpeth (Heighley Gate) – closing January 19 (site closure; some parts later acquired by other operators)
Stapleton – closing January 19 (site closure)
Havant – closing January 19 (site closure)
Hare Hatch – closing January 31
Leicester (Rothley / Rowena) – closing February 14
Aylesbury (World’s End) – closing February 28
Northampton – closing March 2 (closed by Dobbies but immediately acquired by British Garden Centres)
Other garden retail closures in 2025
Richard Griffith House Plants Ltd (Knaresborough, North Yorkshire) – ceased trading September 2 (specialist houseplant retailer; closed following administration)
The Place for Plants (East Bergholt, Suffolk) – closed October 24 (independent centre retiring after 30 years; premises taken over by an online retailer)
The closures mark a period of significant change within the UK’s garden retail industry. Many operators have faced challenges linked to rising rents, energy costs, and the lingering effects of inflation on consumer spending.
Despite the closures, Dobbies remains one of the largest garden centre operators in the country, and the company insists its restructuring plan will place it on a more sustainable footing for the future.
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