Gordons helps British Garden Centres grow with acquisition of 24 centres

Gordons has helped Lincolnshire-based British Garden Centres’ with its continued growth by completing the multi-million pound acquisition of 24 garden centres.

A team led by Gordons’ commercial property specialist James Kimberley and corporate partner Duncan Firman advised on the multi-million pound deal. The Leeds office of business advisory firm KPMG also advised on the deal, led by tax director Nathan Potton.

The sites were acquired from Wyevale Garden Centres, with the majority located across the south east of England. They will now be operated by a newly incorporated entity, BGC South, established during the transaction following investment from Antony Harker, a well-known figure in the garden centre industry.

Acquired as part of British Garden Centres’ ongoing expansion strategy, the business run by the Stubbs’ family is headquartered in Brigg and now has 57 sites across the UK. The company aims to maximise the potential of each centre and anticipates creating further employment opportunities.

Commenting on the acquisitions, British Garden Centres’ Antony Harker said: “This is a significant portfolio of centres for us to acquire and we were delighted to be able to exchange contracts on the acquisitions within just two weeks.

“We were impressed throughout the process by the commercial, straightforward approach taken by everyone we dealt with at Gordons and KPMG. They consistently gave user-friendly advice on what was a complex deal due to the number of centres involved and the incredibly short timeframe.

“These acquisitions have accelerated British Garden Centres’ continued growth. It is an exciting time for the business and our people and we look forward to maximising the potential of our new centres.”

Gordons’ James Kimberley added: “British Garden Centres is a thriving business and these acquisitions have ideally positioned it for further expansion. The deal required a huge amount of focus and was a real team effort across the firm.

“We pride ourselves on being able to act with pace and precision. It was these qualities, as well as working collaboratively with KPMG, which enabled us to exchange contracts within two weeks of being instructed.”