150-year celebrations for Yorkshire garden centre
Published: 11 August 2014
Kershaw's Garden Centre in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, is chalking up an impressive century and a half of trading this year.
The family-owned business marked the milestone at the weekend by organising donkey rides, face painting, fudge tasting and a family treasure hunt.
Entertainment was provided by Kirklees Music brass band and a celebratory cake was specially baked for the occasion. Funds were also raised for a hospice.
Kershaw's started life when the Kershaw family acquired what was known as Slead Syke Nurseries in 1864, which was to become one of the foremost nurseries in the north of England.
In 1929 the nursery was taken over by Yates Seeds, a company that is now part of global seed giant Sakata Seeds. Under the ownership of the Yates family, who still own and run Kershaw's today, the nursery became renowned not just for seeds, but as a rose grower and producer of trees and shrubs.
By the end of the 1960s Kershaw's Garden Centre was operating from what is now the Enchanted Wood Tea Room, and the current shop was built in 1971. The manager, Mark Yates, is the third generation of the family.