Thursday September 4th 2025
Mayfield Garden Centre
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Expansion of a Borders garden centre has been approved – despite concerns that the facilty was being turned into a ‘shopping centre’.
Mayfield Garden Centre in Kelso was converted from a nursery operation in 1973 by Sinclair McGills and taken over by Klondyke Group Ltd in 1997.
The site includes the main garden centre building with an adjoining glasshouse, outdoor sales area and car parking.
Now a planning application submitted to Scottish Borders Council to ‘weatherproof’ the facility has been approved.
Open sided canopies with polycarbonate roof sheets are to be installed. The aim of the development is to improve the site’s year-round appeal by providing a covered sales area.
Traditionally garden centres have been viewed as fair weather destinations and the covered sales area will allow the garden centre to trade in all weathers throughout the year.
But the bid raised the hackles of a neighbour, who stated: “Since I came to live in Kelso some 20 years ago there have been numerous expansions and now this ‘garden centre’ is becoming a ‘shopping centre’
“The floor area for sale of hardware, clothing, restaurant etc far exceeds the area for the sale of plants and has a damaging effect on other small retailers in the town.”
A report with the application stated: “The vagaries of the Scottish weather present a big challenge to the horticultural sector.
“The UK is seeing more extreme temperatures and torrential rainfall coupled with hotter and drier weather patterns than thirty years ago.
Therefore, one of the main drivers behind the proposal is the need to try to ‘weatherproof’ the business. Horticultural businesses are traditionally ‘fair weather’ and trade is very dependant in good weather particularly during the garden centre peak trading period of March- June.
“During the winter months and periods of bad weather customer footfall decreases as customers are understandably reluctant to visit the outdoor areas.
“To combat these horticultural businesses across the UK now provide enclosed shop areas and covered canopies to promote and encourage access to all areas of their site.
“Open sided canopies aim to reduce the seasonality of the business and encourage visitors all year round and in all weathers.
“A comparison on sales between Edinburgh, who benefit from a large open sided covered area and Kelso show that sales of plants are lower and wastage due to no protection in wet, cold seasons are higher at Kelso.”
Tweet Share on Facebook
