Cadbury Garden Centre is one of seven in the chain of the
Garden and Leisure Group.
It was the first garden centre in the group being founded in
1982 as a small market garden. One distinct advantage it had was
planning permission for a fully fledged garden centre.
Development of Cadbury Garden Centre was funded principally
by the French company Truffaut, a major player in the French
garden centre market.
Much of the inspiration for developing the centre was provided by the joint owners Ken and Jackie Lloyd.
The original market garden has steadily developed over the years to become one of the top ten UK garden centres based on turnover. It shares similar values with all the other garden centres in the group - they aim to attract the top end of the market by selling their wares in up market and attractively designed surroundings.
In September 2013 the Garden and Leisure Group were bought by Wyevale Garden Centres.
Cadbury Garden Centre have their own club card scheme (the Garden and Leisure Group scheme) with various benefits for their members. Details of the club and a comparison with the clubs of other garden centres can be found by clicking here. If you are thinking of visiting this garden centre to make a purchase it may well be worth taking a look at their discounts and rewards.
OUTSIDE PLANTS AREA DESIGN AND FEATURES
Outside the interior sales area is a large covered area for tender plants and some of the gardening accessories. The outside plants sales area is solidly paved and mainly flat, certainly easily accessible by a wheelchair user.
The exterior sales area is well designed and makes for pleasant plant selection. The signs to plant groupings are bold and clear with plants being arranged alphabetically.
The large area is principally uncovered but there is a covered pathway along some of the walkways which provides a good deal of rain protection. Umbrellas are available for free if the rain is particularly bad. There is a good selection of garden buildings including sheds and greenhouses supplied by GBC.
The choice of plants is wide although they do not specialise
in any particular plant type at this garden centre.
Plants look
healthy and well maintained, hardy plants come with a five year
guarantee. There is an outdoor gardening advice centre with lots
of books and other information for the gardener. An outdoor pond
stocked with large fish is very popular with adults and children.
As far as prices go, they are generally on the high side, you are very unlikely to find any keenly priced goods at Cadbury Garden Centre. Example prices on the gardening side include a standard container of Tomorite at £4.99, 500g of Miracle Gro is £3.99, 1 kilo at £5.99. Roses start at £8.99, potentillas from £9.99.
INSIDE CADBURY GARDEN CENTRE
Although
plant sales are important at Cadbury Garden Centre it is very
obvious that they have made huge efforts to "weather-proof" the
business. When it's raining or the weather is just plain cold
and miserable, customer demand for plants drops off hugely.
However, the demand for non-gardening goods and a decent cafe
are largely unaffected by the weather.
With this in mind the garden centre has an inordinately large interior sales area selling all manner of non-gardening goods, it's similar to a large department store (see below for details about the in-house cafe). On particularly good example of their attempts at "weather-proofing" is the angling department. Although angling is an outdoor sport, anglers are well-renowned for pursuing their interest whatever the weather.
To take advantage of this, Cadbury's have a self-contained angling department with every imaginable fishing rod, net, fish bait, wading boots and general accessories we have ever seen in a garden centre. Some of the things for sale in this department were a complete mystery to us but then again, we are not keen anglers.
The entire interior sales area is fully focused on satisfying the buying needs and aspirations of the more well off in society. If you go to some larger garden centres you may well see a welcome desk staffed by a smiling sales assistant to make you feel at home. At Cadbury Garden Centre however, one sales assistant is not enough, they have a larger than normal desk not one but two assistants staffing it. We kept an eye on those two assistants for ten minutes or so and not once did anyone one approach them!
As we've said, the interior sales area is extremely large and in common with other garden centres they have a section which stocks Yankee Candles. But this is no ordinary Yankee candle outlet, surely it stocks the largest selection of candles in the UK? The aroma given off as you walk by is almost over-powering. But that's not good enough for this garden centre, oh no! Just round the corner is an area given over to Colony Candles, not quite as large as the Yankee area, but still very big.
We'll pick out a couple more of the specific gift sections at Cadbury Garden Centre but be assured that if we don't mention it they will still stock it. Gifts, cards, ornaments, clocks, baskets, home ware, clothes, music, craft and hobby centre, books, toys - the list goes on ad infinitum. They even have a specific area for wedding day gifts. The extensive display of barbecues includes those from Weber and Outdoor Chef If expense is no object we noted a Leisuregrow 400 series 4 burner gas barbecue for a mere £549! So many of the barbecues are at the top end of the price range and we note that a search on the internet for the same barbecue yields some very interesting price comparisons.
As you wander round this well designed shopping area, the less experienced shoppers amongst you will soon come to the conclusion that the store is never ending. As soon as you turn round a corner, which surely must come to the end of this large garden centre, another vista opens up with even more goodies on show, a true shopper's paradise.
It is hard to imagine that some of the items for
sale at this garden centre are ever bought. Take the
large Buddha head on the left for sale at £150 (click
the picture to enlarge it).
Who would ever visit a
garden centre with a purchase of a large Buddha head in
mind, especially at £150? Who would ever go to a garden
centre and make an impulse purchase of such an item?
Maybe I'm a bit cynical but I bet that the Buddha
will still be there, for sale, in 2 years time, but then
again, I'm not a shopaholic.
There are many items which will sell however and one of those is garden and conservatory furniture, as well as indoor furniture. These are all attractively laid out and at Cadburys Garden Centre they even have a dedicated garden furniture help desk so you can be assured of lots of informed advice. Mind you, with some sets of garden furniture here priced at over £1,500 you very likely will benefit from some advice.
The Food Hall at Cadbury Garden Centre deserves a mention if only for the sheer variety of food it sells. If deli items are to your liking then you will most definitely find lots of them here.
The general decor of the interior is better than most garden centres with some paths being covered. In some areas the exposed metal beams of the roof are also covered, but not in all areas. The paths are wide enough for wheelchair access and free from obstruction.
DISABLED ACCESS
Excellent all round with
wheelchairs available at the entrance.
OTHER FACILITIES
Car park - Flat and free draining with plenty of
space.
Pet Centre - The pet section is large by any
standards and stocks an enormous choice of feeds and general pet
accessories. They have live pets with hens for egg laying being
especially popular. Guinea pigs, rats, birds, ducks, mice,
rabbits, all sorts of small live animals are here as well as
exotic snakes, gekkos and the like. The kids will love the small
animals but maybe you wont be so keen to buy an expensive
parquet at a mere £184.
Aquatics - Lots and lots of different types of fish
and all the tanks and accessories you might ever need. One tank
we saw was priced at £484 on a £156 cabinet to make it look
good, and that's just for starters. You haven't even bought the
fish, sand and all the paraphernalia which accompanies the
purchase of a fish tank.
Water Features - Lots of them, well displayed
around various areas of the garden centre.
Sheds and Greenhouses - Lots of sheds and
greenhouses supplied by GBC.
Hot Tubs -
There is an expensive, up market display of hot tubs inside
offered by Hot
Spring Southwest. One of them was the size of a small
swimming pool. We looked for the price of the large hot tub but,
of course, there were no prices on display! What we did notice
however was a sign saying the price of the hot tub was reduced
by £3,100.
Toilets - modern, clean and functional. Ladies,
gents, disabled and baby-changing facilities.
We rate different aspects of each garden centre and then give an overall rating. We adjust the ratings for garden centre size and purpose. So for example a small nursery which is average compared to other small nurseries will be awarded two and half stars. A large garden centre which is average compared to other large garden centres will also be awarded two and a half stars.
Note that the price rating below is based on a limited range of sample prices.
FACILITY BEING RATED | RATING |
Plant quality | |
Outside area layout | |
Interior sales | |
Cafe food quality (see full cafe review here) | |
Cafe decor and atmosphere | |
Prices | |
Overall rating |
AVERAGE USER RATING | 1 REVIEWS LEFT SO FAR |
4 May 2013 | Comment From: Julie | |
Lots to do and see at this garden centre, its huge and easily good for an afternoon out. Two problems though are the poor service in the cafe and the high prices - far too high compared to other shops. |
15 Jun 2012
Sales down by
2.7% for May
07 Jun 2012
Hillview buy Hilltop
Garden Centre
21 May 2012
Plans to
redevelop
Percy Thrower G. C.
17 May 2012
New Plants Guides
at Squires
4 May 2012
April Garden Centre
sales plummet
16 Apr 2012
Blue Diamond buys
Grosvenor Garden Cr
13 Apr 2012
Longacres wins
planning application
CLOSED
Amerton Garden
Centre
Church Lawford Garden
Centre Group
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