Hillview Garden Centres, the garden retail arm of merchant banking firm The Hillview Group, has today confirmed the acquisition of The Garden Store business and its six garden retail sites.
The move will see Hillview Garden Centres take on the sites in Billing, Charlecote, Newton Regis, Pavilion, Studley Green, and Burford House.

Hillview Garden Centres ceo and former Webbs chief executive, Boyd J Douglas-Davies said of the deal, which completed on September 10: "The Garden Store business has a reputation for great plants, superb value and wonderful customer service. The six Garden Store sites are an excellent addition to the Hillview Garden Centre business and I am looking forward to working with the management and staff to develop the sites further. I am delighted that the entire team are staying with Hillview Garden Centres as their skills and experience will benefit the whole group."

All 90 staff at The Garden Store are being retained, with the management and administration teams relocating to Hillview's retail support centre at Studley Castle, Warwickshire.

The Hillview Group managing director Nadav Livni commented: "This transaction is an important step in the growth of Hillview Garden Centres. Having started our activities in 2011 with a single garden centre, we have successfully grown the portfolio to nine garden centres across the Midlands, under the leadership of Boyd Douglas-Davies.

" The Garden Store acquisition will further enhance our strategy of establishing a portfolio of 'local champion' garden centres, which offer customers a family-friendly, retail destination experience, with an appealing product mix and knowledgeable staff. I am pleased to welcome Marcus and Neil to our management team."

Hillview Garden Centres was established in 2011 when it acquired Redditch Garden Centre, which was later renamed as Studley Garden Centre, from Hillier. Its portfolio now boasts nine garden centres, including Hilltop Garden Centre in Oxfordshire and Little Heath Garden Centre in Worcestershire.