The Garden Centre Group (formerly Wyevale Garden Centres) has reported strong sales for the half year to June 30, with like-for-like sales up 6%.
In the same period, the company has successfully refinanced, launched 'The Gardening Club and registered 580,000 members, invested in re-establishing five nurseries to increase production to supply its own centres, with more planned, and earmarked £30m over the next three years to improve restaurants, plant areas and expand space within existing centres.

However, the largest change is the re-naming of the chain, taking centres back to their original names before Wyevale acquired them. The change is part of a strategy to return the business back to its horticultural roots.

In a business and trading update released today, the company said: "The Garden Centre Group is pleased to announce it has renamed the group's holding company following the re-branding of a number of its individual garden centres. This is part of a wider strategy to return the group to its horticulture and retailing roots and reflects the fact that the business owns a large number of historical and important garden centre brands, which it wishes to preserve and enhance in the future."

It is thought that as few as 10 centres will retain the Wyevale name.

Going forward, the company plans to work hard to reduce its supply costs by re-establishing more nurseries and to invest in its restaurant portfolio. The group is concentrating on improving décor, and has challenged its chefs to introduce more home cooking and local produce. Restaurant sales in July were up 9% on a like-for-like basis.

Chief exec Nicholas Marshall said: "We have a fantastic collection of 122 garden centres throughout England and Wales that have a great and proud past, so we are pleased to be returning these to their original, local brands as part of this strategy.

"Since the re-financing in February we are making very good, visible progress in improving our garden centres for both our customers and 5,000 employees. We know what our centres are capable of, and with the investment, re-branding and initiatives such as The Gardening Club, are excited about the growth potential and are confident we can achieve a solid financial performance this year."