McCombie Group acquires East Yorkshire garden centre

What's the deal? The McCombie Group, led by Zak McCombie, has acquired Cranswick Garden Centre in East Yorkshire. The four-acre site near Driffield includes glasshouses, a shop, and a café-bistro. Former owners Ray and Carolyn Sharpe sold the business with support from national property adviser Christie & Co.

McCombie said the centre "has benefited from a lot of investment in recent years, and we will continue with that over the coming years."

Why now? Christie & Co's Andrew Birnie, who managed the deal, pointed to growing buyer interest in the garden centre market. "We are seeing a varied profile of buyers coming into the garden centre market," he said. "This deal is a good example, with a new entrant acquiring a high-quality, profitable business with the intention of growing a broader portfolio."

The Sharpes said they were "pleased to hand it over to a new owner with the energy and ambition to take it further."

The signal: The acquisition reflects a broader trend of new entrants eyeing garden centres as attractive retail investments. With a profitable base and room for portfolio expansion, deals like this suggest the sector is drawing interest beyond traditional horticultural operators — a sign that well-run, niche retail businesses remain appealing even in a tough consumer environment.

Read more: bdaily.co.uk