A £500,000 extension at east Belfast garden centre, Hillmount, has created 10 new jobs and transformed the business, securing a staff of 50 at the store. The extension increases the existing retail offering by 20% and includes the first dedicated barbecue academy to open in a garden centre in Ireland.
Fourth generation Managing Director, Alan Mercer, who studied at Essex University and trained in garden centre retail chains in the UK, works alongside his father Robin and grandfather Trevor to provide a personalised retail experience to a loyal local customer base of 250,000 visitors every year.
Alan said: “The extension is in answer to customer demands. We have outgrown the existing space created by my great-grandfather. Our customers not only want to shop here but they want to be trained in the products they’re purchasing, which is why we added a barbecue academy in our extension plans.
“Although people are more cautious in their purchasing habits compared say with five years ago, we have been heartened by the response from our customers and the wider community to our extension plans and we believe this new facility will create an unrivalled customer experience for our visitors.”
Jim White, Mayor of Castlereagh, said: “Hillmount’s extension and creating 10 new jobs is a great boost to the local economy here in Castlereagh. I welcome the Mercer family’s commitment to building their business and continuing to trade and invest in jobs for our local people, in what can only be described as very difficult trading times.”
Hillmount’s dedicated Barbecue Academy can cater for individuals and groups of between 9 and 12. Simply log onto www.hilmount.co.uk for details of the courses available.
Situated in the Castlereagh hills, Hillmount opened its doors as a nursery in 1940. The extension includes extra seating for 100 in the restaurant and the store now offers customers a choice of more than 25,000 products – from small plants and seeds to large designer BBQ’s, including one of the most expensive Weber BBQ’s in Ireland which comes with a price tag of £6000.