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Wharfe Valley
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Stephen and Christopher Smith
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| Aire Valley |
Trent Valley |
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| Irwell Valley |
East Busk Lane Nurseries |
Stephen H. Smith's Garden and Leisure operates four garden centres and separate production nurseries in Yorkshire, Lancashire and North Lincolnshire.
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3 Generations of Smith's, Otley 1995. |
We stock more products than you knew existed... pay us a visit soon!
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Company History 1913 to the present day...
Stephen H. Smith founded the present business on 2nd December 1966. Christopher S.H. Smith (his son) joined the business in July 1985.
Stephen H. Smith's Garden and Leisure currently operates four retail garden centres and a production nursery.
1913 to the present day...
Fred M. Simpson, aged 34 started a poultry business developing quality strains of hens on the Wharfe Valley site in 1913. It was to be 21 years later, aged 54 that Fred turned his attention to Horticulture, soon growing about 250,000 Wallflowers and 30,000 Gladioli each year. Fred's interest in breeding better strains of poultry soon appeared on the nursery, but this time his energy was directed towards plants.
World famous Otley Korean Chrysanthemum
He started with Chrysanthemums. He was given some specimens of the Korean type from America. They were tall and straggly with a poor colour range, and were rather late flowering for the North of England. But in them he saw the potential for improvement - they needed to be dwarfer, have a better range of colours and flower earlier in the season. He effected all three! In 1938 the first three varieties of Otley Korean Cushion Chrysanthemum were put on the market; they were named "Lucy Simpson" after his wife, and "Margaret Simpson" and "Grace Simpson" after his two daughters. More and more varieties were soon appearing, increasing the kaleidoscope of colour, and these were distributed through Bakers of Codsall. Their fame spread throughout the world, but it did not change Fred. He was still the same humble and friendly man "playing about" in his small greenhouse.
Lupins
He raised a Lupin "Otley Yellow" and worked hard to try and produce a good yellow Chrysanthemum Maximum, but like everyone else so far, Fred was unsuccessful.
Phlox
Fred's work with herbaceous Phlox was far more successful, as was his Otley regal strain, which contains varieties such as "Glamis", "Windsor", "Balmoral", "Sandringham", "Harewood" and "Holyrood".
The first garden centre
On Fred's retirement in 1955, the nursery continued to expand, now as a partnership between his son-in-law George Tyreman and Humphrey Woodcock. They started a small garden centre, one of the first in the country, on part of the site in 1957. A new steel framed glasshouse was added to the garden centre a few years later for the sale of houseplants.
Fred died in 1964 at the age of 85.
Stephen H. Smith buys the nursery and garden centre in 1966
Two years later in 1966, Stephen Smith bought the nursery having persuaded George and Humphrey that he could further develop it into one of the largest Garden Centres in the North of England. Fortunately, Stephen persuaded George, Humphrey and all the nursery staff to remain with the business.
One of the first purpose built garden centre showrooms in the country
Stephen drew up a five year plan in 1967. Many of the old wooden framed glasshouses were pulled down to make way for a new outside framed plant sales area and the original wooden garden centre shop was replaced with one of the first permanent purpose built Garden Centre Showrooms in the country.
First trolleys
Mobile plant trolleys were introduced for the first time in Britain to help customers load their own cars. The new building was opened by Percy Thrower in April 1968.
Container grown plants introduced for the first time
Next, the range of plants was widened and the planting season lengthened with the introduction of plants grown in containers, rather than bare root. Other product lines were gradually introduced, with Stephen's wife Clare adding pottery, giftware - and Christmas decorations!
Covered outdoor sales area
The garden centre continued to expand with the addition of a covered outdoor sales area in 1970, which meant customers could shop outside without getting wet for the first time. Additional glasshouses, more car parking and further retail buildings were added over the next few years.
East Busk Lane Nurseries
Stephen bought the East Busk Lane Nurseries in 1967 to replace the growing space that would be lost to retail sales on the garden centre site. Three quarters of an acre of new glasshouses were built over the next 5 years. Production at East Busk Lane included the famous Otley Korean Chrysanthemums developed by Fred Simpson, alongside thousands of houseplants and bedding plants for sale in his garden centre and for distribution through the local wholesale markets in Bradford and Leeds. Plants were not the only crop - Stephen's nursery produced 10 tons of Tomatoes annually in the early 1970's!
Humphrey Woodcock retired in 1976.
All production of houseplants and bedding plants was finally moved to the East Busk Lane Nurseries to make room for more retail sales area in 1980.
2nd Garden Centre at Harden, near Bingley
Stephen's son Christopher joined the business in 1985, and together they added the garden centre at Harden near Bingley in the same year. A new extension, comprising an indoor plant sales area, a garden furniture showroom and an aquatics shop were completed in 1985. A Coffee Shop was added in 1986. Sales on the site doubled within two years.
3rd Garden Centre in Scunthorpe
The Trent Valley Garden Centre in Scunthorpe was bought in 1986.
George Tyreman retired from the Otley site in 1991.
Otley re-development with Coffee Shop
In 1993 Stephen and Christopher opened a 120 plus seater Coffee Shop inside the garden centre and started to draw up plans to relocate the original outside plant sales area to make room for a new triple span 17,500 square foot indoor sales area. Construction was started in August 1995 and the building opened by Stephen and Christopher in April 1996.
Trent Valley covered outdoor sales area
1997 saw a large covered outdoor plant sales area added at the Trent Valley site.
Arts and Crafts
The craft and artists supplies shop - ArtCraft - was opened as a trail on the Otley site in November 1997. The same concept was opened at Trent Valley in March 1998. Such was the success of the ArtCraft shop in Otley, that the department was relocated into a new 3,500 sq' area in September 1998.
Re-located and bigger Coffee Shop at Aire Valley
A brand new Mr Smith's Country Kitchen opened on the Harden site in August 1999, along with refurbished toilets and a new baby change/disabled toilet facility.
More car park
2000 saw extended and improved car parks at Wharfe Valley and Trent Valley with over 300 additional tarmac car parking bays.
4th Garden Centre in Bolton
The Irwell Valley Garden Centre in Bolton was bought from the Golden Days Group in September 2000. Autumn 2000 and Spring 2001 saw extensive improvements to the site with refurbished ArtCraft, giftware, furniture showroom, customer toilets, garden sundries section, pet shop plus a new covered outdoor sales area, new indoor planthouse and new outdoor sales area.
More improvements
Spring 2001 also saw more improvements at Trent Valley in Scunthorpe. The giftware and seasonal sections were re-carpeted, the self service restaurant decor was upgraded and the toilets given a facelift! Spring 2001 also saw the indoor sales area at Aire Valley re-decorated.
Colour point of sale
Large scale colour point of sale was introduced with the purchase of a wide format digital printer capable of printing 1.5 metres wide banners up to 30 metres long. A3 and smaller point of sale was improved with an upgraded colour laser printer.
Wharfe Valley refurbished
January 2002 saw the sundries department refurbished at Otley.
Trent Valley refurbished
Trent Valley was re-roofed and the indoor sales area upgraded in January - March 2002, with new exterior signage designed to attract customers from the new retail park that has been built immediately across the road.
Irwell Valley pet shop refurbished
March 2002 also saw the refurbishment of the Pet Shop at Irwell Valley.
Aire Valley re-roofed and re-furbished
Summer 2003 - the entire roof at Aire Valley is replaced with a new, highly insulated steel cladding. Internal areas refurbished.
New interior lighting
Winter 2003/2004 - new high bay lighting installed at Wharfe Valley, Aire Valley and Irwell Valley.
Trent Valley Giftware Department Extended
February 2004 saw the popular giftware department at Trent Valley extended.
Wharfe Valley major site re-development planned
The winter of 2004/2005 saw the start of planning work for a new indoor and covered outdoor sales area plus a 250 seater coffee shop at Otley. Watch this space for developments!
Trent Valley Houseplants re-located
In January 2005 our houseplant department was re-located and the internal layout re-designed in order to tie in with the new outdoor sales area.
Irwell Valley Sundries re-designed
New shop layout and new fittings were installed in February 2005.
Aire Valley Coffee Shop
The Coffee Shop at Aire Valley was completely refurbished in March 2005, with a new design theme and new tables and chairs.
Trent Valley Shrub Area re-located and covered
June 2005 - a brand new outdoor plant area is constructed adjacent to the lake, with large paved areas and extensive 7,200 square foot canopies to allow customers to shop in any weather! The existing outdoor area has been converted into an all weather compost and aggregate yard with a much extended product range. The increased size of covered sales allows an extensive display of water features.
2006 40th Anniversary Celebrations
2006 was our 40th year in business - special anniversary promotions and offers were available throughout the year.
Scunthorpe Internal Layout redesigned and refitted
January/February 2007 saw the internal store layout at Trent Valley in Scunthorpe being completely re-designed with new entrance, exit and till area. Two new retail units have been built for complimentary concessions.
Wharfe Valley outdoor plant area re-built
During the summer of 2007 the whole outdoor sales area was resurfaced and rebuilt to include a new 17,000 square foot covered canopy and new display benches throughout. The canopies will allow easier shopping during periods of bad weather.
Aire Valley Coffee Shop
The Coffee Shop at Aire Valley has been so popular that during the summer of 2007 we have doubled it in size and added a new outdoor deck area.
Wharfe Valley Restaurant enlarged to 300 seats
During the spring of 2008 the restaurant at Otley was refurbished to provide new kitchens, two new serveries and seating for 300.
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