Lancs garden centre beats over 200 competitors to be named best in the UK
A Lancashire garden centre has been named the best in the UK after seeing off over 200 competitors.
Barton Grange Garden Centre in Preston is celebrating after being named Destination Garden Centre of the Year at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) 2024 awards.
It scooped the prestigious title of best large garden centre in the UK at a ceremony held at Da Vere Wokefield Estate in Reading on Tuesday.
The GCA represents more than 200 garden centres nationwide and each year rewards the centres that set the benchmark for high retailing standards within the industry.
The awards recognise quality standards, not only of products and departments, but also people and services.
It follows an intensive annual audit, which records scores from more than 200 garden centres throughout the UK.
Scores from the audit are collated to reveal regional winners, all of whom are revisited and re-audited in the rigorous assessment process.
Among the categories reviewed by the audit are the centre’s product range and quality, disabled facilities, sustainability, garden care department, houseplants and seasonal plants.
In October last year the garden centre, located on the A6 between Preston and Garstang, was also rated by the Daily Mail as the 13th best garden centre in the UK - earning an overall rating of 8.5 out of 10.
Guy Topping, managing director of Barton Grange, said: “What an achievement! It’s thanks to our team's hard work, passion and dedication that we have received this incredible honour.
“Since the day we opened, we’ve been committed to delivering exceptional products and service to our customers.
“It’s wonderful to be rewarded for the enormous effort that goes into making Barton Grange such a success. I couldn’t be prouder!”
As well as winning the overall top accolade, the family-run centre was also named runner-up in the Plantaria (Ruxley Rose) prize for its outstanding outdoor plant area displays and the GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer.
Peter Burks, chief executive at the GCA, added: “We had a wonderful evening crowning our overall champion of champions.
They have all been recognised for their amazing dedication to delivering the very best within our industry and they couldn’t be more deserving of these fabulous awards.”
The huge garden centre opened its doors in 2008 and has been named Destination Garden Centre of the Year multiple times.