Huge garden centre company taking over Northampton Dobbies also rescues neighbouring site in Warwickshire

In December it was announced that Dobbies on the Straight Mile in Rugby would close as part of a restructuring plan to shut 'unprofitable' stores.

It’s now been revealed that British Garden Centres will be taking over the vast countryside site, as well as the shock announcement that the company is taking on the former Dobbies store Newport Pagnell Road store in Northampton.

The Warwickshire centre - known as Rugby Garden Centre - will aim to reopen in early March.

A spokesperson for the company said: "British Garden Centres will retain the existing team and work with them to restock and refurbish to ensure the centre's continued success in its local community.

"The restaurant will be renovated and a carvery added, creating 12-15 jobs. The garden centre will also recruit 8-10 seasonal and permanent staff.”

The acquisition of the The Newport Pagnell Road store in Northampton and the Straight Mile store in Rugby will see British Garden Centres, the UK's largest family-run garden centre group, expand its portfolio to 72 stores.

In a surprise announcement on Tuesday (February 11), British Garden Centres said it was ‘excited’ to reveal that it is taking over the Dobbies Northampton site in Newport Pagnell Road, Wootton.

The Newport Pagnell Road store had not previously been earmarked for closure by Dobbies which announced a number of units would close down – including the one in Harlestone.

Northampton Garden Centre will temporarily close for rebranding and restocking with the takeover expected to be completed in March.

British Garden Centres said it will ‘retain the existing team and work with them to refurbish the site, to ensure the centre's future growth and position as a community hub.’

Charles Stubbs, Founder and Director of British Garden Centres said: “We're thrilled to welcome Northampton Garden Centre to the British Garden Centres family. The acquisition next month will give us a fantastic opportunity to transform and revitalise this site, creating a destination the community will love.

"We're committed to working with the existing team to achieve this and bring new jobs to Northampton.

"We can’t wait to get started and looking forward to welcoming customers, old and new back to the store.”

British Garden Centres also revealed there will be jobs up for grabs to drive the ongoing development of the site in both the garden centre and restaurant.

The group is owned and led by The Stubbs family, who also own and operate Woodthorpe Leisure Park in Lincolnshire. BGC was launched in 1987 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 72 garden centres spread from Carmarthen to Ramsgate, Wimborne to East Durham.

The group has a team of 3,000 colleagues working across the garden centres, restaurants, growing nurseries, distribution centres, Woodthorpe Leisure Park, and Woody’s Restaurant & Bar.

Dobbies in Harlestone is being taken over by Blue Diamond – which also owns Beckworth Emporium.

Blue Diamond has remained tight-lipped about its plans for the vast site but the Chron spotted ‘opening in Easter’ signs on the gate and workmen inside last month.