Garden centre cultivates a bright future

2:13pm Monday 12th March 2007

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A CLITHEROE garden centre is to secure its future by investing £500,000 in a major new expansion.

Shackletons Garden and Outdoor Living Centre is to construct a new permanent building at its site between Chatburn and Clitheroe, to replace some of its current facilties.

At the moment, the 20 staff work with a series of plastic tunnels for a number of its products which can only be used during the summer months.

The expansion will mean it can operate more effectively all year round, and will also feature a pet centre. Work is due to be completed next month.

David Shackleton, director, said the move would help secure its future, and let it compete with the likes of B&Q.

He said: "The canopies that we used to sell some of the products from were unusable in winter time. We decided that we needed to have a permanent structure and also that will enable us to extend our sales period.

"We are open all year but certain areas are unusable outside the summer. We have a big expanse of area that is just unusable. We can't heat it and people don't want to be down there because it's damp and cold.

"We are hoping this will increase our profits. We are seeing a lot more pressure from supermarket chains and garden centre groups for run-of-the-mill, day to day products.

"What we needed to do was specialise in a niche market and this phase has enabled us to take that one step further. Small centres have got two options. Try and compete with the likes of B&Q, or find a niche market for themselves."

Shackletons was established in 1999, and is run from a four-acre site which sells garden products and outdoor furniture, along with plants, ornaments, summer houses and tropical fish. It attracts customers from as far away as Harrogate and Cheshire.

The expansion package was put together by NatWest Commercial Banking in Blackburn and the new facility will include stone walls, oak floor and arched windows. A new internet site is also in the pipeline.

Mr Shackleton said: "We had a permanent structure built two seasons ago which incorporates the coffee shop and wine bar, and a gift shop.

"This second phase has always been on the cards. We bought an extra two acres of land which the first phase was on. That was a major project for us and took a lot of time and money."