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Triple delight for
garden centre
by James Parr
A local Garden Centre is celebrating after scooping one of the most coveted titles
in the industry.
Bent's Garden Centre in Glazebury has been named as Britain's Best Garden Retailer for 2007 at
the national Britain's Best Retailer Awards in London.
Bent's managed to complete a hat-trick of awards at the ceremony by having Managing Director,
Matthew Bent, named as Best Young Garden Retailer of the Year and having their new Open Skies
building recognised as the UK's Best New Development.
The Glazebury garden centre was given the accolades for taking the industry to a new level with
their first of kind Open Skies building.
Matthew, 33, won his award for the role he played in making the new building happen, he said:
"2007 has been a fantastic year for Bents not only because of all these fantastic awards, but
for so many other reasons. We celebrated a major milestone with our 70th anniversary and also
marked the start of a new era with the launch of our new Open Skies building.
"My grandparents had real vision when they founded the Bents business in 1937, something which
was inherited by my father, Ron Bent who grew the business into the success it is today. It
is now up to me to continue with this approach, ensuring the family business continues to
evolve, staying one step ahead and leading the way for others to follow."
This latest hat-trick of awards adds to the growing collection already on Bent's shelf, as
they were named Warrington Business of the Year at the Warrington Business Awards, and
received the Customer Care and Visitors choice Awards at the event.
Matthew added: "Traditional garden centre retailing is evolving all the time. It is vital
that we continue to change in order to welcome new customers and an ever-changing customer
base. We are delighted with our new Open Skies building; it has changed Bents into a true
year round all-weather destination something that we believe has been acknowledged by our
latest awards."
Picture s show the Open Skies building
Supermarket giant
swoops for family store
by Terry Johnson
SUPERMARKET giant Sainsbury has moved into Culcheth village with a takeover of the
well-respected family owned CPS foodstore.
CPS has been at the heart of village shopping life for 42 years, as a third-generation family business.
Its acquisition by plc Sainsbury for an undisclosed sum is described by Managing Director, Stuart Nelson, (pictured) as
'the next step in development of the business'.
He stated: "I believe that Sainsbury will provide the kind of shopping experience and level of customer care
that our customers have come to expect".
Sainsbury's coup in buying the shares in CPS Supermarket follows approaches from several major companies.
The shopping chain plans complete renewal of the ground floor of CPS - enlarging the trading area and installing
windows along the side elevation so the 'new store' faces the main car park.
It is hoped building work can begin on July 9 with a temporary wall across the front third of the store.
Trading in this reduced area should last about eight weeks while major work goes on behind the screen.
A Sainsbury spokesman said: "It is our intent to build on the good work the Nelson family has done - not only
providing an excellent shopping experience, but building trust and goodwill with customers."
Customers, employees and everyone living and working in Culcheth stood to benefit from the development.
CPS has its roots in Leigh where Stuart's grandfather bought Central Provision Stores. His father(Bill Nelson)
acquired a corner shop in Culcheth and CPS opened its doors in 1964.
Growth of the supermarket provides jobs for 120 people and hundreds of jobs are supported, indirectly, by
trading with local businesses and suppliers.
Mr Nelson said ownership of the CPS Centre, an umbrella for multiple businesses, was being retained.
New company, Culcheth Property Services Ltd, would manage this.
Sainsbury's swoop now turns the screw on the Asda superstore in the Birchwood Shopping Centre and also positions
Sainsbury to compete more effectively across Warrington, supported by its Church St. store.
Back in business
THE Harrow Pub in Culcheth Village centre is back in business after a complete refurbishment following
a fire last year.
Pictured celebrating the reopening of the pub are owners from left,
Warren Bibby, Nicola Bibby and Wayne Bibby.
Bents celebrate
Golden partnership
by Gary Skentelbery
BENTS Garden Centre of Glazebury is celebrating a major milestone with one of its main suppliers.
It is 50 years since the Centre started to sell Wolf Garden Tools and to celebrate the anniversary the two
companies are looking to the future and aiming to inspire the next generation of gardeners.
To mark the occasion pupils from Glazebury Primary School took delivery of 50 sets of children's gardening
tools and immediately set to work in the school's gardens. Representatives from Bents and Wolf Garden who
donated the tools were on hand to give help and advice.
Elaine Morgan, Headteacher: "Bents have already contributed to our memorial garden which we have designed
to commemorate the life of one of our teaching assistants. We are still in the process of creating this
area so the tools will come in very handy. It is great to get children outside and involved with the
environment so the support we get from Bents is always very appreciated."
Celebrations with Wolf Garden Tools continued with a children's colouring competition and a host of special
offers in store.
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