Staff and management at the Snowhill Garden Centre near East Grinstead celebrated 10 successful years of trading since the Haskins Garden Centre group acquired the privately owned 7 acre centre in October 2003.
Haskins Garden Centre’s Chief Executive Julian Winfield says that despite the recession and dramatic changes also in the weather patterns which have proved a challenge to the horticultural retail sector, the viability of the award winning centre has dramatically increased thanks to the on-going focus towards the selection and care of their plant displays and horticultural knowledge, and customer feedback also confirms that enhanced gift and cookware departments continue to draw new customers.
“Our success at Snowhill can be attributed to the loyalty of both customers and our full and part time team of 90,” says Julian Winfield. “From the day of the acquisition we were determined to keep the centre a part of the local community and support local charities though fundraising appeals and events. I’m delighted that the green fingered gardening residents in the region have supported these in a big way.”
The Snowhill centre became the 4th owned and operated by the £30 million turnover family owned horticultural business that was founded by the great grandfather of the current chairman Warren Haskins in 1882. Haskins invested heavily in their centres at Ferndown near Bournemouth, West End near Southampton and Roundstone near Littlehampton and now employ over 543 people.