Any business that was part way through an expansion project as the Coronavirus hit the UK would rightfully have feared the outcome, as construction ground to a halt for several weeks. For The Plant Place in Thornton, having a partnership with Wareing Buildings saw it overcome the impossible and dream even bigger than originally planned.

Established 25 years, The Plant Place is a retail garden centre which, pre-Covid, had grand plans for growth. Demand for its products and services was increasing, so in 2019 it embarked on a three-phase scale-up project to more than triple its existing footprint.

Its original contractor filed for bankruptcy early on in the project, leaving The Plant Place in difficulty. This didn’t deter the owners of the company, who changed tack and sought out the support of Wareing Buildings to overcome the hurdle and continue with their plans.

Phase 1 included the installation of a new 500sqm steel frame building and floor slab with underfloor heating, which would join the existing store to create a bigger sales space with a more comfortable environment for both plants and customers alike. Though this required piling due to peaty and unstable ground, the remainder of the build went ahead without a problem.

Simon Hudson, director at The Plant Place, said: “What should’ve been an exciting time, with us opening our new extension for the first time, suddenly became very stressful and pressured; we weren’t receiving any income and wanted to keep money in the business. Wareing Buildings were extremely helpful during this time and were brilliant at communicating with us, which helped build a fantastic relationship.”

As soon as restrictions were relaxed, we were back on site to carry out Phase 2 of the project – a second 500sqm extension. Both extensions benefit from 100mm Kingspan KS100 roofing and 8mm KS1000 side walling, with PVC roof lights to flood the building with the UV rays required for planting to thrive.

Tripling its site has enabled The Plant Place to expand into untapped areas, including indoor house planting, Christmas decorations and accessories, and garden furniture, which means its revenues are surging. Such is the success of the extension, that we will soon be back on site at The Plant Place to add a third new steel structure to the shop, which will accommodate a café restaurant, as well as groundwork to facilitate additional parking.

Simon said: “What Wareing Buildings has done has already futureproofed our business, so there’s no-one else we would’ve talked to about the third stage of this project – they’re the people for the job.

“Wareing is a family-run business just like ours, and it shows. Their service is faultless; they’re hands-on, you get the attention you need and feel valued as a customer, which is rare these days. They’re always going to be the first we contact, and the first we recommend to others who need similar work doing.”