Stratford Garden Centre takes over former Dobbies site

THE former Dobbies garden centre site near Stratford has been taken over by Stratford Garden Centre.

The Clifford Chambers-based business said it had agreed a lease for the centre, which is just off the Warwick Road near the Mercedes garage at Black Hill, and would be keeping the former Dobbies staff.

Helen Lloyd, Stratford Garden Centre managing director, said: “It is 20 years since we moved into our site at Clifford Chambers, serving Stratford and the North Cotswold area.

“As a family-owned garden centre we have built close links with the local community and are looking forward to establishing a similar presence in the north-east of Stratford serving customers from south Warwickshire and further afield along the M40 and A46 corridors.

“We have built a strong team of more than 100 staff at Clifford Chambers and are keen to develop the team at our new site at Warwick Road.

“We are planning substantial improvements to the site at Warwick Road and, after a closure period while this work is carried out, we plan on a grand re-opening in March.”

The Stratford branch of garden centre chain Dobbies closed on 23rd December last year, one of 11 that was axed as part of a company restructure targeting its unprofitable outlets.