THE owners of Jack’s Patch Garden Centre in Bishopsteignton have put their businesses on the market.

Terra Firma Capital, which owns Wyevale Garden Centres, is selling off its 145 garden centres, including Jack’s Patch.

Jack’s Patch offers are based on £3,100,000.

Wyevale Garden Centres is the largest operator of garden centres in the UK and employs around 6,000 people.

The sale is going through specialist property adviser Christie and Co.

Steve Rodell, of Christie and Co, said: ‘The sale of Wyevale Garden Centres presents a unique opportunity for a wide range of buyers from financial institutions, existing garden centre operators, independent business people and entrepreneurs to buy well-invested local garden centres within the price range of £200k to £35m.

‘The garden centre market is vibrant and on an upwards trajectory.

‘In recent years garden centres have become much more than places just to buy plants, evolving to become wider leisure and retail destinations with play centres for children, restaurants and other activities designed to improve the shopping experience.

‘These attractive consumer fundamentals with multiple income streams mean the market is likely to be resilient to headwinds experienced by the high-street.’

The Wyevale Garden Centres sites range in size from one to 108 acres and are said to be profitable standalone business opportunities. The majority of the sites, including Jack’s Patch, have restaurants and cafes.

Steve added: ‘Financial institutions will be attracted to a strong business that is a platform for consolidation of the sector.

‘Entrepreneurs will be particularly attracted into a market with the prospect of enhancing an already resilient income stream by adding their own profitable activities into underutilised ancillary space which has a multitude of potential uses.

‘Current garden centre operators seeking to compliment or improve their existing business will also be attracted to the disposal, as opportunities of this quality rarely come to the market.’

Roger McLaughlan, CEO of Wyevale Garden Centres, added: ‘Wyevale Garden Centres has been transformed beyond recognition over the last few years, and our customers are responding really positively to all the improvements we’ve been making, with improved ranges, high stock availability and exceptional garden centre standards.

‘Our improved business has engaged colleagues and put customers at the heart of what we do. Thanks to the hard work of all of our colleagues, we remain firmly on track to grow our sales and profits this year.’

Other Wyevale Garden Centres in Devon include Endsleigh Garden and Leisure Centre in Ivybridge.