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Over the next five pages, Matthew Appleby reveals our seventh annual updated list of the country's leading 100 garden centres in order of turnover
Most of the figures in this year's Top 100 garden centre listing have been supplied by the companies themselves. Where information has not been available from the garden centre, we have estimated annual turnover. Last year's edition was published in September 2014 - figures in brackets are from that list.
1 LONGACRES NURSERY
Bagshot, Surrey
pounds 18m (2014: pounds 17m)
A multiple Garden Retail Awards winner renowned for value, floristry and range. The owner is Nigel Long, whose father, Peter, bought the site more than 30 years ago. It features a restaurant, food hall, butcher and delicatessen. Longacres bought a second site in Shepperton in late 2013 and that may enter this chart in 2016. Figures to end of December 2014.
2 BENTS
Glazebury, Cheshire
pounds 16.294m (2014: pounds 14.1m)
Cheshire garden centre run by Matthew Bent along with other members of the Bent family. The centre recently expanded with new concessions and is renowned for its home-grown plants, homemade food and department store feel. Figures to end of January 2015.
WOODCOTE GREEN NURSERIES
Wallington, Surrey
pounds 14.8m (2014: pounds 13.7m)
Owned by Chris Milan. Phil Barnden is general manager. Garden Retail Awards 2015 large garden centre winner. Annual accounts run to 31 August 2014 but September 2014 to February 2015 up 13 per cent like-for-like, five per cent up on budget, with pounds 14.8m the budgeted forecast.
4 BARTON GRANGE
Preston, Lancashire
pounds 13.6m (2014: pounds 12.7m)
Owned by the Toppings, this garden centre situated by a canal in Brock, near Preston, was opened by Princess Anne in 2008, replacing a previous store that was 2km further down the road. Russell Winteridge is manager Turnover is to 31 January 2015. Barton Grange won Garden Centre Association destination garden centre of the year for the fourth year in a row in January. Plans have been submitted for a leisure development on site including curling rink, tenpin bowling, crazy golf, kayak sale and hire, a cinema and two restaurants.
5 SCOTSDALES GARDEN CENTRE
Cambridge
pounds 12m
Another Garden Retail Awards winner, this family garden centre run by Caroline Owen has served...