The official opening of the new-look Haskins Roundstone Garden Centre on March 9, 2012. Pictures: Stephen GoodgerThe official opening of the new-look Haskins Roundstone Garden Centre on March 9, 2012. Pictures: Stephen Goodger
The official opening of the new-look Haskins Roundstone Garden Centre on March 9, 2012. Pictures: Stephen Goodger

The day the new-look Haskins Roundstone Garden Centre was officially opened

Balloons, streamers and plenty of scrumptious cake were all part of the celebrations when the new-look Haskins Roundstone Garden Centre, one of the largest of its kind in the UK, was officially opened in 2012. There had been a ‘soft opening’ to the public at the end of February, including the new 500-space car park and dedicated bus stop, but it was not until Friday, March 9, 2012, that Nick Herbert, Arundel and South Downs MP at the time, officially launched the new £12million garden centre by cutting a cake which had been specially made for the occasion.

Warren Haskins, chairman of the garden centre group, took Mr Herbert on a grand tour of the 15-acre site, alongside county and district councillors for the area. The MP said he was impressed by the store and welcomed the commitment to attracting more business and creating more jobs for the area.

The garden centre group was founded by Warren’s great-grandfather, Harry Haskins, in Dorset in 1882 and Haskins acquired Roundstone Garden Centre in Angmering in 2000. For the rebuild, the site took 12 months to redevelop, while the original centre continued to trade, and around 50 new jobs were created. The indoor and outdoor plant areas were made twice the size of the old garden centre and extensive indoor departments were added, including houseplants, gifts, books, pets, clothing and furniture, with environmentally-friendly lighting.

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