food and catering


‘Delicious food combined with great customer service’


Squire’s at Badshot Lea is one of the centres to have recently opened a new-look Café Bar, including facilities for children


The catering options available at garden centres are another opportunity to demonstrate excellence in your business, and have customers returning time and again


W


ith customer expectations around the catering offering at their local garden centre on a continual upward curve, it is important for retailers to invest in their facilities and ensure that customers have a reason to visit time and again, even in slower parts of the season. Family-owned horticultural business Squire’s


Garden Centres has been operating a sequence of improvements to its catering facilities across its network of 15 centres across Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Middlesex, North and West London. Among the more recent investments at its sites from the business are new Café Bars at both Badshot Lea and Washington. The new look Café Bar at Badshot Lea features stylish décor and beautiful new furniture, with comfy seats and cosy corners to relax in, the company says. There’s also a separate children’s area called ‘Young Gardeners’ with new child-sized seating, a wall full of games and activities, and a special menu designed for children.


Adults can choose from a wide selection of drinks and freshly prepared food, including hot and cold meals, a salad bar, Swiss Movenpick ice cream, and even a waffle station. Squire’s deputy chairman Sarah Squire commented: “We are very pleased with our


8 | www.gardencentreupdate.com


new seating areas in the Café Bar at Squire’s in Badshot Lea, and have had great feedback from customers already, which we really value. “Our team is very passionate about what


they do, and they pride themselves on offering delicious food combined with great customer service. We all look forward to welcoming customers, old and new, to our new look Café Bar.” A new Café Bar has also now been opened at


Squire’s Garden Centre in Washington, featuring new furniture and décor, as well as air- conditioning, and offering breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea with an extensive range of hot and cold meals, snacks, salads, pastries and cakes. The business notes that the catering offering complements the other reasons for visiting, noting that visitors should explore the extensive plant area, gardening products and gifts, and their comprehensive pets and aquatics department. Also on site are a children’s play area and Mambo Jambos pottery painting studio.


Having strong catering facilities also opens up opportunities to host additional events and give your customers more reasons to visit. For example, Squire’s Washington hosted craft and gardening activities every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning throughout the summer holidays.


The retailer is also taking advantage of its


heritage by hosting a talk with Squire’s chairman Colin Squire OBE at its West Horsley site, with attendees learning about the history of horticulture while enjoying an afternoon tea. As Colin discusses the past 80 years of horticulture and the garden centre business, customers will enjoy sandwiches, a scone with jam and cream, a tray bake cake and a tea or a filter coffee, with vegetarian and gluten free options also available.


By combining its catering services with an event, Squire’s will also be raising money through ticket sales on behalf of local charity Horsley & Bookham Riding For The Disabled. With the right investment and approach to food and catering on-site, customers will return to a garden centre again and again.


Having a compelling catering offering attracts visitors year-round, and allows opportunities to host a variety of events


GCU October 2018


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