A WARRINGTON  based garden centre has lifted a prestigious festive award.

Bents Garden & Home has won the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) 2017 title for Best Christmas Display in the Country, after beating off strong competition from other centres within the region and throughout the UK.

The coveted title was presented to Bents following an extensive judging process, which saw centres from throughout the UK hosting spot visits by the GCA to determine regional winners as well as the overall national title.  

Centres were judged on their innovation, inspiration and the excitement created by the way Christmas products were displayed and the 2017 national title is yet another cause for celebration at the family owned and run business. 

The announcement comes during a special year for Bents which celbrates its 80th anniversary since founders Alfred and Margaret Bent started to sell roses from their front garden just yards from the centre’s current location. 

  Managing director Matthew Bent said: “What a fantastic start to the festive season, especially in what is our 80th year; a great way to celebrate our anniversary.  

“The title is a credit to all of our Christmas colleagues who work extremely hard throughout the year to deliver a magical experience.  Everything, in all our displays has been designed, created, fashioned, built, painted by our own in-house team of experts both on the shop floor and behind the scenes and we would like to say a big thank you to each and every one of them for their continued commitment to creating our spectacular displays.”

Bents is also the current holder of the GCA’s title of Best Destination Centre in the North West.

It has also been shortlisted for the national title of Best Destination Garden Centre in the UK, which will be announced at the association's annual conference in January.