Garden centre acquisitions will continue to grow apace over the next few weeks and months, a property consultant has told diyweek.net
In a month which has seen Wyevale add Sanders Garden World into its portfolio of garden entres of excellence, the consultant said he is seeing five times the amount of work to which he is usually accustom.

"Normally, there isn't too much activity: two to three deals a year, however at the moment we're working on 12-15."

The increase in acquisition activity is not surprising as the likes of Tesco and Sir Tom Hunter are in a battle to control the garden centre market.

Many speculators see it as ripe for consolidation, and the two are now keen to hoover up as many garden centres as they can.

"We're currently working on selling half a dozen reasonable sized garden centres across the country," the source added.

And when asked for an opinion on why activity is so fevered at the moment, the source said: "It's a combination of factors not least the tight trading conditions currently.

"But the presence of Tesco and Sir Tom Hunter has brought that decision – about when to sell – marginally forward, and concentrated the mind. Some think it's time to realise some profit out of the centres they are holding onto."

Our source added that more deals are pencilled in for the next few months.

As for Wyevale and Sir Tom Hunter's plans, we were told, "let's wait and see."