Wyevale Garden Centres (WGC) has added another four garden centres to its estate with the acquisition of Dorset-based Golden Acres Group.
The outlets, which bring the total number of WGC garden centres to 148, are John Browns Garden Centre and West Parley Garden Centre in Dorset, Landford Garden Centre in Salisbury and Cadnam Garden Centre in Hampshire.

Combined, the centres offer 108,000sqft of covered space and each offers trained horticulturists on site.

WGC chief executive Kevin Bradshaw commented: "Golden Acres are well known as a passionate, family-run business where customer service and strong horticultural knowledge bring gardening inspiration to their loyal customers.

"Our mission at Wyevale Garden Centres is to be just such a passionate and inspirational gardening resource in the communities where we live and work, and we are extremely pleased to continue the legacy as we welcome Golden Acres employees and customers to our company."

Golden Acres' former owner and managing director Paul Richards added: "I'm very pleased that our employees and customers will have the opportunity to be part of a larger organisation with a strong commitment to the gardening industry.

"I would like to extend warm thanks to my team for all of their invaluable hard work over the years, which has been key to our success."

In the latest financial year for which records are available, to the end of December 2013, Golden Acres' sales slipped by almost 4% to £7.9m but pre-tax profit leapt 130% to £132,000.

Dorset commercial law firm Steele Raymond, which has acted for Golden Acres and Mr Richards for a number of years, advised on the deal.