Merriments Gardens, Hawkhurst Road, Hurst Green, East Sussex, TN19 7RA

Christie & Co are delighted to bring to the market a rarely available Garden Centre and RHS Partner Garden, a unique business opportunity with a fantastic blend of retail, hospitality and leisure revenue streams.
The business is being offered on a new lease which offers purchasers the chance to take on an established business without the high upfront costs typically involved in a freehold purchase.

Merriments is located on the A229 which is just off the main A21 London Road which links the East Sussex coast to London. It is located around 14 miles South East of Royal Tunbridge Wells close to the East Sussex / Kent border on the outskirts of the village of Hurst Green and Hawkhurst within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The latest census data shows that 491,091 people live within a 25km radius of the site however, owing to the popularity of the gardens many visitors travel from considerably further afield.

The site has a broad road frontage and large verge side signage advertising the business. The site is in all around 6.62 acres of which c 3.6 is the RHS Partner Garden.
The site has a number of well maintained buildings which have a total floor area of 570 sqm (6135sqft) and comprise of the main retail area, restaurant with a brand new commercial kitchen fitted in 2021 and the former house which has been recently converted to create a second restaurant with a newly fitted commercial kitchen, orangery and conservatory. This building also has a number of other rooms that could potentially be let to concessions or utilised for further retail, interior or garden design services or office space.
The plant area is of a good size and stocks a wide range of plants including many grown on site in the plant nursery which has a good range of recently erected Poly tunnels
The plant area provides a significant area of raised beds and a shade structure to show off the extensive stock of plants many of which are grown in the well run nursery to the south of the property as well as a dedicated area for the pot sales and specimen trees. Merriments has a long standing reputation for growing unusual and exclusive plants, many show-cased in the garden. The nursery has had extensive investment in the potting shed, new poly tunnels and a propagation unit. .

There is only are in the region of 250 independently owned gardens across the UK and overseas that with RHS Partner Garden Status. Gardens are selected by RHS, based on what they consider to be a high standard of design and planting. This status sets the garden centre Merriments apart from other local competitors making it a popular leisure destination and driving customers to the garden centre, plant nursery and restaurant. It is famous for its beautifully planted colour themed borders, water features and Monet style bridge.

In 2021 1585 RHS members visited the garden plus many more paying guests. Non members may pay for access to the garden, adding to the revenue generating potential of the business.
In August 2021 Merriments became an RHS approved Training Centre offering RHS Level 2 Theory based qualifications. Students get hands on training in the garden and nursery. A few of the benefits to the owners of the RHS Partner Status include opportunities to attend exclusive networking events, complementary tickets to each of the annual RHS shows including the Chelsea Flower Show where owners are also invited to RHS President's Drinks event.

Further information on the staff structure and costs can be provided upon request.

The business has undergone substantial investment in recent years following the acquisition by the current owner in 2017. The business is growing and looks set for the strongest year yet. The YE Feb 2022 accounts show;
Turnover : £1,070,282
Gross profit: £619,672
Full accounts for previous years can be provided upon request.

The RHS garden has been painstakingly returned to its former glory and is seeing increased interest in the RHS training courses but is also generating on average over £2000 per week in garden entrance income.

The Garden is open from 20th March to 30th Oct
The Plant Centre & Shop – Monday – Saturday 9.00am – 5.00pm. Sunday 10.00am – 4.00pm
The Restaurant – Monday – Saturday 9.00am – 4.30pm. Sunday 10.00am – 4.00pm

The business trades with the benefit of a premises licence to sell alcohol. The restaurant licence permits extended opening hours.