Bucknalls Open Their First Garden Centre Restaurant
Bucknalls Restaurants have opened their first garden centre restaurant at Canterbury Garden Centre in Kent.
Bucknalls was founded in 2004 having been awarded the contract to operate the catering facility for The Building Research Establishment in Watford. Following their success at this site they have recently decided to expand by creating a retail division and have identified garden centres as their main route of development.
As a result they were keen to work with garden centres to create the right offer suited to the individual customer base.
Using the 20 years experience that the Bucknalls Directors have within the catering trade they were able to create a unique, destination experience bespoke to the garden centre. Bucknalls have re-fitted the restaurant in the style of a farm shop with a total of 90 covers (internal and external). The restaurant will offer both self service and table service facilities to ensure customers receive exceptional service even during busy periods.
The fresh hot and cold food served on site will be made from sustainable local and organic products. As part of Bucknalls’ commitment to the service they will be introducing a ‘Seasonal Menu’ every 3 months as well as daily specials. In addition to the day to day restaurant operation Bucknalls will be offering various lunch clubs, family BBQ’s and be-spoke special events.
“The look of the restaurant will be very much like a farm shop but elegant with cake stands and wooden tables to display all the cakes etc. We will be offering an exciting, yet traditional hot and cold menu and for the children, our signature milkshakes.”
Lesley Constantine, Bucknalls Restaurants – Managing Director.
The original restaurant offer at Canterbury Garden Centre opened in the new build site in 2009 and has serviced a growing customer base. The owners of the sites recently decided to improve the catering facility and began working with Bucknalls to upgrade the proposition.
The partnership between Bucknalls and Canterbury Garden Centre to improve the facility is based on a long term partnership. Out sourcing the catering in this way enables the site owners to retain the benefits of having a catering facility operated by experts without the day to day cost burden associated with staff, wastage, equipment repairs/maintenance.
“We were looking to create a unique restaurant for our garden centre and felt that Bucknalls would be an ideal operator to take our catering to the next stage. We feel that the fit out they have completed ideally complements the garden centre and the menu and improvement has been well received by the customers.”
Edward Boult, Tenterden and Canterbury Garden Centres
“Bucknalls create excellent restaurants and are an ideal partner for garden centres. The restaurant is one of the most important departments within the modern garden centre. In tough economic times Bucknalls can offer garden centres a way to develop their facility in a very cost effective way in addition to making sure the menu and service is expertly tailored to the individual, garden centre customer base.”
Keith McIntyre, First Franchise -Managing Director
For more information contact Richard Lewis at First Franchise 07799 292386, richard.lewis@firstfranchise.com
