British Garden Centres Acquires Grantham's Downtown Garden Centre

British Garden Centres has announced the acquisition of Downtown Garden Centre in Grantham, Lincolnshire, a move that continues the group’s dynamic start to 2026 and extends its national portfolio to 75 centres across the UK.

The site will now trade as Grantham Garden Centre, becoming the latest addition to the British Garden Centres family. The centre will close temporarily for refurbishment and is scheduled to reopen in early spring. The investment will see upgrades to the retail space, restaurant facilities, and outdoor plant areas, while the existing Downtown team will remain in place to ensure continuity for customers and staff.

This latest acquisition comes just a couple of weeks after Ferndale Garden Centre in Derbyshire joined the group as Dronfield Garden Centre, strengthening British Garden Centres’ presence in the Midlands region and signalling continued momentum in its strategic growth plans.

It follows an exceptional year of expansion for the group in 2025, which included the acquisition of several former Dobbies locations and the iconic Hayes Garden World in Cumbria. These strategic additions have significantly increased the group’s regional reach and set a strong foundation for further investment in 2026.

Charles Stubbs, Director of British Garden Centres, said: “Bringing Grantham Garden Centre into the group marks another important step in our ongoing growth plan. Grantham is a thriving market town with a strong gardening community, and we're excited to invest in a centre that has served local customers well for many years. Our refurbishment will enhance what's already there while introducing the wider product range and services our customers expect. Most importantly, we're keeping the experienced team who know their customers and their community. We’re delighted to welcome Grantham into the British Garden Centres family.”

Peter Isaac, Managing Director of Downtown, added: We are delighted to be leasing the Garden Centre to British Garden Centres and are pleased that the team will remain in place. The planned upgrades will further strengthen the Grantham site as a destination for visitors, alongside the current department store. It’s a ‘win win’ for both British Garden Centres, Downtown and our customers, and we wish British Garden Centres every success.”

British Garden Centres (BGC) is the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group with 75 centres around the country. The group is owned and led by the Stubbs family, who also own and operate Woodthorpe Leisure Park in Lincolnshire.

BGC was launched in 1990 with the opening of Woodthorpe Garden Centre by brothers Charles and Robert Stubbs. Since 2018, it has expanded rapidly with the acquisition of 50 garden centres, allowing it to grow from its heartland to the business it is now, with 75 garden centres spread from Carmarthen to Ramsgate, Wimborne to East Durham.

The group has a team of over 3,500 colleagues working across the garden centres, restaurants, growing nurseries, distribution centres, Woodthorpe Leisure Park, and Woody’s Restaurant & Bar.

Source : British Garden Centres

Image : British Garden Centres

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