Bonmarché to open in garden centres

Bonmarché, the UK’s largest womenswear value retailer 

catering for women over 50 years, is set to open new stores in garden centres as it looks to focus on its mature customer base.

The fashion chain has signed a deal with The Garden Centre Group to trial up to four stores within their garden centres, with the first shop opening at Bicester Avenue Garden Centre in Oxfordshire, this Friday, October 11.

Beth Butterwick, managing director at Bonmarché, said: “Gardening is one of the biggest leisurely pursuits within the plus 45-year-old age group so for us this is an ideal partnership.

“Increasingly, people are visiting garden centres as destinations in which to browse, eat and spend leisure time. We believe there is further scope for similar partnerships like this one in future.”

Bonmarché, which is owned by investment group Sun European Partners, believes that it can take advantage of the mature consumer base of garden centres.

A number of other apparel and accessories brands operate within garden centres including knitwear brand Edinburgh Woollen Mill, and lifestyle brand Cotton Traders.