Wirral's Carr Farm Garden Centre has opened a new restaurant as the first phase in a £3m redevelopment backed by NatWest.
The 300-seat, concession-run Atrium Restaurant will be joined in due course by new shops and concessions on site. In total, the three-year project will create 75 jobs, 20 of which are in the restaurant.

Carr Farm managing director Dave Jones, said: "The development is an exciting project that will enhance the business and allow us to develop more retail space.

"The new restaurant is a fantastic addition for visitors, who may be here for an afternoon of shopping."

After Mr Jones approached NatWest Merseyside for funding support for the project, the bank's director of business development Simon Webb obtained a loan as part of NatWest's involvement in the government-backed Funding for Lending programme.

"I was delighted to support Carr Farm Garden Centre on this funding arrangement," Mr Webb said."It's a great family-run business that has an excellent growth plan which will support the local area. I wish the business every success for the future."

Carr Farm has been owned by the Jones family since the 1930s, which transformed from a small dairy farm into the garden centre in 1982.