Yorkshire garden centre expands with seven-figure funding

A garden centre in West Yorkshire is set to complete the first stage of its latest expansion project after securing a seven-figure funding package from HSBC UK.

Tong Garden Centre, which is situated between Bradford and Leeds, is expecting to finish the construction of a 4,000 sq. ft. warehouse later this month.

The new facility will have capacity for 400 pallets of stock, helping the business to meet growing in-store and online demand.

The completion of the new warehouse signals the first phase of major redevelopment since the site was acquired in 2015.

The site will eventually be home to a two-storey building, a new plant canopy, a bespoke soft play and event space and the development of the lakeside area with log cabins for educational and horticultural use.

Tong Garden Centre’s developments, due for final completion in 2021, are expected to create up to 40 new jobs.

Charlie Barker, finance director at YGC Group, the parent company of Tong Garden Centre, said: “Completing the new warehouse will provide a fantastic boost to the business, as we look to build on a great platform.

“With these proposed developments in place and increasing online customer demand, we expect to see strong double-digit growth over the next three years.”

Andy Mears, centre manager at Tong Garden Centre, commented: “Tong Garden Centre has a very special place in the hearts of the local community. Whilst we are, and always will be, a garden centre led by gardening products, we will now be so much more than a garden centre.”

The garden centre was acquired by Mark Farnsworth and Tom Megginson in 2015 and occupies a 17-acre site in Tong village.

It is Yorkshire’s biggest independent garden centre with 110,000 sq ft of retail space and parking for up to 700 cars.

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