Group acquires family-run Fryer's Garden Centre and award-winning rose growing business in Knutsford for £2.7m.
Fryer's, an 86,000sq ft centre, is located on a 19.5 acre site on Manchester Road in Knutsford. As well as the garden centre, it operates a rose growing business, complete with transactional website.

Gilbert Evans partner and head of garden centres Mike Gilbert acted on behalf of Fryer's. He said of the sale: "Fryer's Garden Centre represents a great opportunity for Blue Diamond to redevelop and further expand an already successful business an to optimise the heritage of the worldwide renowned Fryer's Roses brand."

Fryer's managing director Gareth Fryer commented: "We started looking at succession planning and I wanted to find the right partner to take over our family firm. " He explained that Mr Gilbert helped match Fryer's with a company who shared its values and quality of service, adding: "Blue Diamond's reputation for quality made them a natural choice."

Talking to DIY Week last month, Blue Diamond managing director Alan Roper confirmed an acquisition was taking place but was unable to name the centre. He also suggested the new site could be the ideal location for Blue Diamond to establish a distribution centre.