FERNDOWN garden centre group Haskins is “actively looking to expand” in the south of England as commercial property prices continue to plummet.

The company currently operates four garden centres, at Ferndown, Southampton, and has two in West Sussex.

“We know about running big centres and that’s where our forte is,” said Haskins chairman Warren Haskins. We think it’s a very good time to be looking – we’re very solidly based.

“We believe we could take a fifth centre at this time. It wouldn’t be in the west country though because of the lack of population and lack of money within the population,” said Mr Haskins, who together with his family is listed at position 1,736 in The Sunday Times Rich List this year, with a £42 million fortune.

“Our model is to open within two-and-a-half hours from Ferndown, within a reasonable size conurbation. That takes in the north of London, Kent, Essex, into Oxford and Bristol.”

Such a move is a “major investment”. When the group acquired its last centre near Gatwick Airport, £11 million was spent.

“When you’ve got a sound business you don’t want to make any mistakes because it can really tie you up.”

But Mr Haskins is not looking to turn the business, which he inherited 40 years ago, with seven staff and a £17,500 turnover, into a UK wide operation.

“We don’t have ambitions to become national, we’d need to raise a lot more money. We’re quite happy being a regional garden centre.”

His approach towards the gardening side of the business is in stark contrast to his other enterprise, Hobbycraft, the chain of national art and craft stores, which by next year will have 40 stores across the country.

Hobbycraft and Haskins Holdings collectively made £4.9 million profit on £76.5 million sales last year.