Christie & Co announce the sale of high turnover garden centre in Kent to new market entrants

Regarded as one of Kent's largest independently run garden centres, the business received considerable interest and attracted offers from a number of established garden centre operators after coming to the open market.

Previous owner, Janice East, who has developed the garden centre from a small plant nursery to the thriving business that it is today, comments, “It is with a huge amount of sadness that I will no longer be at Hawley Garden Centre.  My time for retirement brings reflection of how I’ve so enjoyed my everyday work life and have loved working in this industry.  Happily, both my son Darrell, and my daughter Morgan will continue to work at the centre and help to continue the success of the business for the new owners.  

“I have every reason to think it will continue to flourish and be just as busy as we have always been.  I shall miss the Seasons but will eagerly keep in touch to watch the progress from a distance.  Our wonderful staff and the many concession partners are a great asset to the new owners, and I wish them all the very best.”

Purchaser Terry Smallman of Castacrete, comments, “We are delighted to take ownership of Hawley Garden Centre. We have some exciting plans for the future, which will hopefully include new additions such as a mini golf course and a possible children’s nursery. We will also be adding one of our own Roman Stone Landscaping Centres to the list of ever-growing attractions to the Garden Centre.”

Tom Glanvill, Director – Garden Centres & Retail at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, comments, “The market has been very lively so far in 2024, with our garden centre team completing three large transactions since January, including online outdoor living specialists Riverside Garden Centre and Peter Beales Roses. The sale of Hawley Garden Centre is certainly another notable transaction in the industry so far this year. A number of centres have been brought to the market and over 45 viewings have been arranged on these businesses, so it looks highly likely that the number of centres that we sell in 2024 will be considerably higher than in 2023.

“Hawley Garden Centre is a superb business, and the large freehold site offers huge potential for the buyers to introduce their ranges of stoneware, as well as develop the thriving concession business. I certainly wish the new owners all the best with the venture.”

For further information on this press release, contact:

Bronte Hughes, Corporate Communications Manager

P: 020 7227 0794
E: bronte.hughes@christie.com

Visit our Business Search page to find out more about our current listings.