Chris Brannigan from Altrincham is appointed regional manager for the north, overseeing the running of 14 garden centres in the region.
Mr Brannigan, who has more than 10 years' experience in the garden centre industry, said he was delighted to have been given the role. He started working part-time at Peter Barratt's Garden Centres, which were taken over by The Garden Centre Group in 2007.

Following this, Mr Brannigan spent two years working as a customer service manager for a retail-based IT software company and re-joined Peter Barratt's in 2007 as manager of Beverley Garden Centre. Most recently he was employed at Peter Barratt's Gosforth Park Garden Centre as Manager.

"I'm really excited about my new role and I'm looking forward to working more closely with the garden centres in the North," said Mr Brannigan.

As part of his new role, he will supervise the management of The Garden Centre Group's sites in his region, including Wolsely Bridge Garden Centre, Altrincham Garden Centre, Beverley Garden Centre, Leyland Garden Centre, Coley Garden Centre, Wyevale - World of Pets and Leisure and Bold Heath Garden Centre.

Garden Centre Group chief executive Nicholas Marshall, said: "Chris has done a tremendous job for Peter Barratt's Garden Centres and we are sure he will carry on the great work as Regional Manager for the North."