MP opens new Angmering garden centre

Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert officially opened the new Haskins Garden Centre in Angmering on Friday (9 March), following a £12 million investment in the site which has seen the Centre become one of the largest in the country.

Over 50 people have been recruited for the additional full and part time jobs for the new garden centre, which has been constructed over the last twelve months on fifteen acres of land where commercial greenhouses were located aside the original Roundstone Garden Centre. 

The new Centre has a 500 space car park with environmentally friendly lighting and its own bus stop.  The indoor and outdoor plant areas are twice the size of the old garden centre and include extensive indoor departments including houseplants, gifts, books, pets, clothing and furniture.

A 460 seat restaurant provides visitors with a wide range of food and drink, with features including a coffee lounge, a traditional stone hearth pizza oven, a daily carvery and a cake counter.

There is free Wi-Fi for internet users and a large patio area for alfresco dining.  An extendable function room, named the Roundstone room, is available to organisations and private parties.

Warren Haskins, Chairman of the £30m turnover garden centre group founded by his great grandfather in Dorset in 1882, said that he was grateful to Nick Herbert for taking time out of his busy schedule to perform the opening and tour one of the largest new build centre's in the UK.

Mr Haskins said: Based on the success of our garden centres in Dorset and Hampshire, we are confident that our Roundstone centre will become a favourite destination for anyone with a love of horticulture".

Mr Herbert was given a tour of the new Centre by group Chairman Warren Haskins and then cut a large cake to mark the official opening.

Speaking after the opening ceremony, Mr Herbert commented: "I was delighted to be asked to open the Garden Centre officially and it's great that Haskins' largest outlet is here in Angmering.

"The large number of people who are already visiting the Centre shows what a popular place it will be for local people.

"It is very encouraging indeed that the company should be making such a significant investment, despite the economic climate, creating a large number of new jobs for local people."

Ends

Notes for Editors

1.    For more information about Haskins Group and the Haskins Garden Centre in Angmering, please visit: http://www.haskins.co.uk/