BENTS Garden and Home is celebrating being named as the UK's best destination garden centre.

The garden centre in Glazebury has been named the Garden Centre Association's (GCA) best destination garden centre for 2023.

Bents was presented with the award at a ceremony hosted in Blackburn, with more than 200 garden centres pitted against one another.

Warrington Guardian: Bents has been recognised as the UK's best large garden centreBents has been recognised as the UK's best large garden centre (Image: Bents Garden and Home)

This is the seventh year that Bents Garden and Home has won the award, which officially makes Warrington's largest garden centre the best in the country.

According to Bents, the GCA's annual audit is a pre-requisite to membership of the association, and takes place with no prior notice, ensuring standards remain high throughout the year.

Bents received a spot visit by the GCA auditors in spring 2022 and recorded one of the top scores in the country, which saw them awarded Best Garden Centre in the north west. 

The centre then received a further spot check in the autumn to be re-audited resulting in the UK’s highest result and presentation of the prestigious industry award.

Matthew Bent, managing director of Bents Garden and Home, said: "There many awards available within our industry, but this really is the big one.

"It is not one that requires a written submission or entry fee; instead the audit is something that is a fundamental requirement of our membership of the GCA. 

"We have a great family of colleagues who work extremely hard at all times and this award is a fantastic way to thank them for all their input, especially after what have been a challenging few years."

This award also sees Bents being acknowledged as a Garden Centre of Excellence, one of only 10 in the country.

Warrington Guardian: Bents could have been inspected at any time of year, including ChristmasBents could have been inspected at any time of year, including Christmas (Image: Mike Boden)

The GCA's Tammy Woodhouse said: “The GCA audit and subsequent awards are extremely important within the industry.

"Centres don’t pay to enter or put themselves forward; our members are all visited by our inspectors with no prior knowledge of the exact date so we can ensure standards remain high at all times.

“We are delighted for Bents. It is a fantastic achievement and even more impressive when up against such strong competition.”

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