Plowmans' owner takes the reins until new company can be found to run it

Plowmans, near Bournemouth Airport, closed temporarily after the company which leased it went into administration.

But owner Vic Plowman has now pledged to keep it open until a new company can be found to run it.

It is currently open for plants, hanging baskets and compost and Mr Plowman hopes to re-open the restaurant within days. He hopes the entire operation will be back up and running within around eight weeks.

“There are a number of companies interested but the legal side of things take a long time so it could be a few weeks before everything’s open again” he told the Daily Echo.

“We just want to let people know we are open again. It takes years to build up a business like this so we don’t want it to just disappear.”

Mr Plowman said he was keen to ensure the centre had plenty of plants because “there are only about eight weeks left of the main growing season.”

He said he is currently unable to sell sundries such as pots and tools

Mr Plowman ran the nursery for 25 years before leasing it out to Home and Garden three-and-a-half years ago.

He continued to run his plant business at Wimborne market but said he is unable to run the Christchurch Road garden centre due to ill health.

Speaking to the Echo he said: “I have to get up at 4am to do a 600-mile round trip to get plants and that is not something I can keep up forever because of my heart problem.”

Home and Garden, which ran eight sites across the country, went into administration in April.

Adam Harris, joint administrator, said at the time that “unexpected, severe weather conditions at the beginning of 2018 have materially impacted [Home and Garden’s] cash flow”. The ‘Beast from the East’ in March also affected trading.

“Home and Garden is a well-established business with historically strong margins, and would represent a good opportunity for interested parties. A sale would preserve jobs and provide the best outcome for stakeholders and creditors, and I welcome all inquiries.”