Knutsford garden centre sold

Fryer's Garden Centre in Knutsford has completed a deal to sell the family-owned garden centre and rose growing business to Blue Diamond Garden Centres for £2.7m.

The 86,000 sq ft centre is located on a 19.5-acre site in Knutsford and takes the Guernsey-based Blue Diamond's portfolio to 13 sites in the UK and Channel Islands.

Retail and garden centre property consultancy Gilbert Evans brokered the deal on behalf of Fryer's Garden Centre.

Gareth Fryer, managing director of Fryer's Garden Centre, said: "We started looking at succession planning and I wanted to find the right partner to take over our family firm. Mike Gilbert guided us through the process, expertly matching us with a company who shared our values and quality of service. Blue Diamond's reputation for quality made them a natural choice."

David Bushell, from Brown Turner Ross Solicitors, who acted for Fryer's in the deal, added: "I have worked with Mike Gilbert on a number of Garden Centre deals; they are often long standing family firms with outstanding heritage. However diagnosing any legal or practical issues which could delay the sale of agricultural land early on is essential. We are delighted that we have enabled Gareth to retain his specialist rose breeding business as part of the final deal."

Fryer's Garden Centre was established in 1912 by Arthur Fryer, who specialised in the growing of roses on a small plot in Knutsford.

Fryer's Garden Centre has since won 12 Gold Medals at the Chelsea Flower Show. Gareth Fryer, who is Arthur Fryer's grandson, joined the business in 1966.