Guy Hands’s Terra Firma seeks buyers for Wyevale Garden Centres

The private equity owners of Britain's biggest gardening centre chain are putting it up for sale, it was announced today.

Wyevale Garden Centres, which has 145 locations across the country, could be sold either as a whole or split up and flogged to several buyers.

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Guy Hands's firm Terra Firma hired business property advisers at Christie & Co. to oversee a sale as one of its funds approaches maturity.

Hands said that the business was "a unique investment opportunity" .

While the most recent available accounts for Wyevale show that it swung to a loss in 2016, Terra Firma said that the business is now achieving sales and profit growth.

“Wyevale Garden Centres has transformed beyond recognition over the last few years, and our customers are responding really positively to all the improvements weve been making, with improved ranges, high stock availability and exceptional garden centre standards," said Wyevale's chief executive Roger Mclaughlan.

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