Sussex garden centre celebrates 25th anniversary, reflecting on the significant role its has played in the community

The independent family business acquired the site from Roundstone Nurseries in 2000, with all former staff joining the team.

Haskins Roundstone Garden Centre opened in 2001 and had a total rebuild in 2011. As the business marks the silver jubilee milestone, it has reflected on the range of local charities and community projects it has supported since it first opened its doors.

The centre is currently partnered with Momentum Children’s Charity, which supports families with children diagnosed with cancer and other life-challenging illnesses throughout Sussex.

Over the years, it has supported charities like Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex, Turning Tides, Wadars Animal Rescue, Canine Partners, and more, all of which have benefited from receiving vital funds or gardening and home materials.

Nick Joad, general manager, said: "I am so proud to be celebrating 25 years of our Sussex centre with my fantastic team. The local community and our customers are at the heart of everything we do, that’s something that will never change.

"Over 25 years, we have had the privilege of supporting so many wonderful initiatives that have had an enormous impact on the Sussex area, and that brings us great pleasure.”

Community initiatives have included garden items for housing developments, Christmas trees for railway stations and regular supplies of planting materials for Angmering in Bloom. A few years ago, the garden centre also helped construct a new sensory garden for Chestnut Tree House children's hospice, near Arundel.

Even during Covid-19, Roundstone continued trading, and the garden centre became a focal point for the community, as more people turned to gardening as a means to keep fit and support their mental wellbeing. Nick said it was a period of unprecedented concern but Haskins spread goodwill in the form of gifts and treats to Worthing Hospital and various community groups.

Sue Ross, customer service assistant, has worked at the Roundstone site for more than 40 years, while at least ten more staff members have worked there for more than 20 years.

Nick said: "Many of our staff, including Sue, fondly recount how they’ve seen customers that first visited Haskins as children grow up over the years. It’s been a joy to see how these children have become parents visiting Haskins with children of their own.

"Watching our customers grow is one of the great privileges that come with working within a close-knit community, and I feel overjoyed and honoured that Haskins is such a special destination to many.”

Sue remembers visiting Haskins’ redeveloped centre in Dorset with Roundstone Nurseries owner Richard Cahn in the 1990s. It was her first experience of Haskins and she came away inspired.

She felt it was reassuring to remain part of a family business after Haskins acquired Roundstone Nurseries, and to see the original values retained while many positive, forward-thinking initiatives were introduced.

Sue's role has changed over the years. In the past, she dealt with reps and buying in the centre, but then went on to work in customer service. Interacting with customers has been her favourite part of the job, and every day is different, despite the many regulars that often come to the centre.

If you do not know her face, you will likely recognise Sue's voice, as she has been known for her Sybil Fawlty-like service announcements. Colleagues highlighted her vocal similarity to the character played by Prunella Scales in the hit BBC comedy Fawlty Towers when they celebrated her 60th birthday in style in June 2009.

Following the acquisition in 2000, Haskins unveiled plans for a £13million redevelopment at the site in 2011. The new garden centre’s expansion included a significantly larger outdoor plant area, a 500-seat restaurant with function rooms and a larger car park. This led to a further 50 full and part-time staff joining the team.

The rebuild took 12 months, with the original centre continuing to trade. The indoor and outdoor plant areas were made twice the size of the old garden centre and extensive indoor departments were added, including houseplants, gifts, books, pets, clothing and furniture, with environmentally-friendly lighting.

The new-look Haskins Roundstone Garden Centre, one of the largest of its kind in the UK, was officially opened in 2012, with balloons, streamers and plenty of scrumptious cake all part of the celebrations.

There had been a 'soft opening’ to the public at the end of February 2012, including the new 500-space car park and dedicated bus stop, but it was not until Friday, March 9, 2012, that Nick Herbert, Arundel and South Downs MP at the time, officially launched the new garden centre by cutting a cake which had been specially made for the occasion.

Warren Haskins, chairman of the garden centre group, took Mr Herbert on a grand tour of the 15-acre site, alongside county and district councillors for the area. The MP said he was impressed by the store and welcomed the commitment to attracting more business and creating more jobs for the area.

The Haskins group was founded by Harry Haskins, starting with a nursery in Poole in 1882. Warren, his great-grandson, took over the business at the age of 20, following the death of his father. At that time, the company was turning over £17,000 per year and employed seven staff but it was not long before Warren opened a small retail shop, which was the start of the garden centre business of today.

As well as Roundstone, Haskins also runs the Ferndown centre in Dorset, West End centre in Southampton, Snowhill in Copthorne, and Forest Lodge in Farnham.