Expansion of family-run garden centre in Portslade hots up
An opening date for a totally revamped Mayberry Garden Centre is on the horizon with customers welcomed through the doors of the new-look Portslade store this summer.
The £4-million project at the family-run site in the Old Shoreham Road sees all areas of the family-run business improved and enlarged.
“Tates has deep roots in Sussex and I am very excited about this latest investment at Mayberry which is about creating a better experience for our customers, improving facilities for our team, and continuing our long-term commitment to Portslade and the surrounding community.”
Among improvements customers will notice when the new store opens are greatly enlarged plant areas, completely new coffee shop with covered seating, easier parking with EV charging points, a refurbished and expanded aquatics department plus increased emphasis on locally-produced food and drink, supporting Sussex suppliers where possible.
Considerable work has already been achieved at the site as construction moves steadily forward. A major structural milestone is the current installation of the new building’s side walls, while a crane positions roof panels. The floor has been laid to provide a foundation for the internal fit-out and external brickwork is underway to create a new, extended outdoor plant area, which will showcase an expanded range of Tates’ own home-grown stock from its nurseries in Hassocks and at Dial Post near Horsham.
Mayberry’s manager, Mark Brumfitt recalls how the site been transformed from a muddy field to a structure that has both floor and a roof. “Every day, customers are excitingly to learn what’s going in the new extension. It’s great that so many are just as excited about the expansion as I and my colleagues are.”
Sustainability has been to the fore throughout the project with the original building’s sustainability features from 199x, including sheep-wool insulation, solar heating and rainwater recovery, informing the approach to the extension and continues to be a key consideration throughout the development.