The freehold garden centre has tremendous potential and will be redeveloped into one of the finest destination garden centres in the UK.

Managing Director Alan Roper said: “We are very excited about Harlow Garden Centre. The previous owners have created a strong gardening offer and we intend to build on that foundation so that the centre can realise its full potential.”

This acquisition forms part of Blue Diamond’s strategy aimed at achieving significant growth in shareholder value over a five-year period. The strategy is based on growth through both acquisitions and also on the redevelopment of the Company’s existing sites, which will create an enlarged estate of substantial home/garden/leisure centres, catering for a more discerning customer and each ranking as a top quality destination store within the garden centre industry.

Festival and Trentham Garden Centres were redeveloped in late 2015 and early 2016 following the successful launch of Redfields Garden Centre in 2014, with Derby and St. Peters Garden Centres scheduled for refurbishment in summer 2016 and early 2017 respectively. The response from customers so far has been excellent.