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24
Sept
Well-known garden centre near Knaresborough for sale
A family-run garden centre between Knaresborough and Harrogate has been put up for sale.
Moorland Nurseries and Garden Centre, on Forest Moor Road, has been listed by estate agent Christie and Co, with the freehold guide price set at £2.5 million plus stock.
Andrew Birnie, director of garden centres and retail at Christie and Co, said the business was listed privately a few months ago, but has now been put on the open market.
Moorland Nurseries and Garden Centre opened in 1947 and is now operated by third and fourth generation family members.
The listing says it turned over more than £765,000 and recorded a net profit of £139,000 during the 2024 financial year.
The garden centre features cash desks, two managers’ offices and two staff rooms.
It also includes three “seasonally-heated” glasshouses – the largest of which is used to store and sell real Christmas trees – a propagation room and two polytunnels, as well as a loading bay, a number of storage spaces, a potting and production room and 75 designated parking spaces.
According to Christie and Co, the covered bedding plants area was upgraded in recent years and polycarbonate roofing was installed.
All greenhouse vents are automated and climate-controlled.
The listing adds:
The existing space and glasshouses present an opportunity to expand the retail offering or could be repurposed for alternative uses, depending on the vision of a new operator.
Credit: Christie and Co
Two third-party businesses operating at the site — Harrogate Aquatics and Lime Tree Café and Deli — are not for sale.
The café accommodates 60 indoor and 28 outdoor covers.
The units are owned by the garden centre and leased to the tenants, so prospective buyers would yield the rent from the tenanted businesses.
However, the listing says:
A purchaser may wish to run these elements to increase the garden centre turnover.
Credit: Christie and Co
A house plants business previously leased a third unit at the site but left and its stock has been taken over by the garden centre.
The tenants each have a year left on their leases and, according to the listing, recorded a combined annual turnover of approximately £750,000 at the end of the 2024 financial year.
Moorland Nurseries and Garden Centre currently operates from 9am until 5pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10am until 5pm on Sundays.
Sunday trading hours are reduced to 10am until 4pm in January and February.
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