After a year of anticipation, Perrywood has officially opened its new purpose-built garden centre in Sudbury, marking a major milestone for the business and the local community.
Located just across the driveway from the original site, the new centre spans 1,900 square metres of indoor retail space and features a 200-seat coffee shop and restaurant designed to immerse customers in a plant-rich environment. The development represents a significant investment in the town, bringing expanded shopping, dining, and leisure facilities, along with 35 new jobs.
“This is a long-term investment for the future of the business and our family,” said Tristan Bourne, Operations Director at Perrywood. “Moving from owning one garden centre to three has allowed us to operate more efficiently and benefit from economies of scale.”
Expanded Facilities and Customer Experience
The new Perrywood centre offers a significantly enhanced customer experience, with a larger retail space designed to accommodate expanded product ranges and more spacious departments. Outside, a generous plant area with two canopies provides a welcoming environment for browsing.
At the heart of the development is a 200-seat restaurant and coffee shop, where customers can relax among the greenery, with table service already in place and app ordering and bookings set to launch soon. The site also features improved amenities, including a bigger car park with accessible spaces and upgraded family-friendly toilets.
The team combines familiar faces with 35 new recruits from the local community, reflecting Perrywood’s commitment to both service and local employment. Following the expansion, the business expects turnover to grow by a third in the first year, building on its current £4.5 million—up from less than £1 million when the site was acquired from Wyevale in 2018.
Future Plans and Partnerships
The original Perrywood site won’t be left behind. Plans are already underway to refurbish the old garden centre, with additional retail space set to open in 2026. Perrywood is currently in discussions with potential retail partners and invites interested parties to get in touch via simon@perrywood.co.uk.
Building the Vision
The creation of Perrywood’s new garden centre was a collaborative effort involving a range of industry specialists, each contributing to different aspects of the build. Planning permission and design were handled by Pleydell Smithyman, while Newspan and Fordingbridge supplied the building structures. Ashwell Construction oversaw groundworks and contractor supervision, with Phelan Construction managing the building fit-out.
Shop fitting was completed by Sale Point and Stagecraft, and plant benches were provided by Timber Displays and Nostrand. Reflecting on the scale of the project,
Operations Director Tristan Bourne acknowledged the challenges of building from scratch, particularly in the face of rising construction and borrowing costs. “It’s not for the faint-hearted,” he said. “But we’re proud to have delivered a centre that will serve our customers and community for years to come.”
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