The Mercer family has proudly celebrated the official opening of its new location, Hillmount Carrick, as it expands its garden centre portfolio.
Situated at Beltoy Road, the new centre marks a significant milestone in the Mercer family’s fourth-generation gardening business, as it continues to blossom with the addition of this fifth site, extending their presence to five prime locations across Northern Ireland and England.
The £1.5 million investment by the family has transformed the former Sunnybank business into a vibrant and modern garden lifestyle destination. The revitalised Hillmount Carrick site retains the original charm while offering an enhanced customer experience featuring an expanded plant area, extensive range of garden furniture and outdoor living essentials, BBQs, gardening equipment and exquisite giftware.
The newly introduced 60-seater Gardener’s Rest Café, with a choice of indoor and outdoor seating, offers visitors a serene spot to relax and enjoy refreshments throughout the day amidst lush greenery.
Robin Mercer BEM, managing director of Hillmount, said: “We are thrilled to bring the multi award winning Hillmount experience to Carrickfergus. Our family has been dedicated to the mental health and wellbeing of the gardening community since 1940, urging local families to connect with nature and share in the joy of gardening, and this new chapter in Carrick reflects our ongoing commitment to excellence, sustainability and community engagement.
“Already we have been inundated with well wishes from new customers of Hillmount Carrick and we are encouraged by the warm welcome we have received from the local community. We are grateful to the Mayor for performing our official opening and we are looking forward to building lasting relationships with our neighbours across the Mid and East Antrim borough.”
The opening of Hillmount Carrick enhances the local retail landscape and contributes to the community with the creation of 10 new retail and hospitality jobs. The expansion comes at a time when consumer interest in home gardening, outdoor living, and green wellbeing continues to grow, and Hillmount is well-positioned to meet this demand.
Hillmount Carrick is open seven days a week, offering a new destination for garden lovers, families seeking inspiration, great service and an enjoyable day out. Hillmount Carrick joins the expanding Hillmount portfolio of award winning garden centres in Ards, Bangor, Belfast and Cheshire, each renowned for their quality products, expert horticultural advice, and strong community ties.
For more information, visit www.hillmount.co.uk and follow the Hillmount Carrick on social media.