ONE of West Somerset’s most popular independently-owned garden centres for the past 50 years has been put on the market with a £1,350,000 price tag.

Estate agents Christie and Co described West Somerset Garden Centre, in Minehead, as a company ‘with a strong brand name and a loyal customer base’.

A spokesperson said: “The business trades from purpose-built buildings and has a well laid out and sizeable retail and restaurant space in addition to an excellent plant area.”

The garden centre has grown spectacularly since it was created in the 1970s as a small nursery and family business, specialising in forestry and landscaping.

Now, it claims a strong horticultural heritage and a wide range of plants and trees, plus a variety of landscaping products and garden machinery.

The main retail building offers an extensive product range including outdoor living and garden furniture, giftware, indoor house plants, garden sundries, and seasonal goods.

Also in the main building is a café with 44 covers and additional outdoor seating for 24 customers.

The spokesperson said: “The business has traded consistently at around £1.5 to £1.6 million per year for many years and certainly has the scope to grow further.

“The business also has a landscaping division which offers potential for the owner to grow this revenue stream.

“The site has two main buildings.

“The primary building, 550 sq m, houses the main retail area, restaurant, commercial kitchen, office, and customer toilets.”

A second retail building at 113 sq m contains garden sundries, landscaping materials, tools, and garden machinery.

The main buildings and outdoor retail areas are freehold and the business also has a leasehold car park with annual rent of £12,700 and a warehouse for storage at a rent of £15,000 plus VAT.

The existing staff will be transferred to the new owners under employment legislation.