Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Squire’s garden centre at Windsor in Berkshire will shut its doors in the autumn.
The retailer blamed a limited ability to grow the Maidenhead Road centre and planning restraints as reasons for the decision.
Squire’s said: ‘Over the years the garden centre has had limited ability to maximise its potential, partially for physical reasons due to its small car park – which is shared with customers and trucks accessing goods inwards – and also due to planning constraints given its green belt status.
‘The borough council has an obligation to build houses to address the housing shortage in the area, and has identified the centre within the emerging Local Plan as being a site suitable for the development of about 40 new homes.’
The company added: ‘A number of development businesses expressed interest in buying the site. Given the inability to grow in the ways we would like, these offers were considered seriously and a decision has been made to sell the site.’
Squire’s noted: ‘We would like to thank the team at Windsor for their longstanding commitment and hard work, and recognise and thank our customers for their support over the years.’
The sum received from the sale of the site will be reinvested into Squire’s other centres, and used to look for new opportunities.
Deputy chairman Sarah Squire said: “We are committed to reinvesting in all areas of our business and one of our primary aims is to add further sites to our portfolio. We have confidence in the future of our sector despite the current economic and political uncertainty.”
Squire’s is actively seeking further sites. Managing director Martin Breddy revealed: “We do not have any particular size requirements, although we’re keen to keep within the south-east of England, and our preference is for freehold sites wherever possible.”
The Windsor garden centre will stay open for business throughout the spring and summer and eventually close in the autumn. Squire’s hope is that as many team members as possible will be able to take alternative employment within the company.
Squire’s Garden Centres was Highly Commended in the Best Multiple Garden Centre Retailer category of The Housewares Innovation Awards 2018. Founded in 1936, the family-owned horticultural business operates 15 garden centres across Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Middlesex, north and west London.
