Pictured: Chris Bird (Four Seasons), Michael Hix (Four Seasons), Garry Wilkinson (NatWest) 

Sleaford's family run Four Seasons Garden Centre & Farm Shop is due to open their new 3,000 + sq ft extension at the beginning of December, in time for the important Christmas trading period. Funding to support the extension has been provided by their banking partners, NatWest.

Four Seasons is a third generation family business. Based at London Road, Silk Willoughby, Sleaford, the centre houses a plant and cut flower department, gardening product essentials such as fertilisers and lawn-care, a clothing store featuring brands such as Tabury, Regatta and Dock of the Bay and a fully licensed restaurant now seating over 150. Alongside the garden centre the farm shop is an important part of the business. It offers fine quality local and regional food and wines from Welbourne Bakery, Gary Simpson Family Butcher, Doherty's Fruit & Veg and the Four Seasons own Delicatessen.

The extension effectively doubles the retail space within the garden centre increasing their stock holding capacity, whilst the restaurant will be enlarged to include an extra 50 covers. The new extension opens along with profiling Christmas on Saturday the 3rd December. The centre will also stock traditional and unique Christmas decorations and festive gifts including cards, wrapping paper, candles and hampers to order.

NatWest who last year funded the development of the centre's car park have provided further funding to support the expansion.

Speaking about the investment they have made, Chris Bird, director of Four Seasons Garden Centre & Farm Shop said: "We were simply running out of space. Despite the current economic environment people are still investing in their gardens and we are benefiting from this spending activity. The additional space allows us to increase our stock holding across the range, providing more choice and variety for our customers. We have also taken the opportunity to drive further business in our restaurant where we have increased capacity by 50 covers. This helps us to create a real trip experience for people when they visit us."

Garry Wilkinson, senior relationship manager at NatWest who arranged the loan added: "Chris and his business partner Michael Hix have steadily grown the business over the last few years, investing in their facilities to make the retail experience as good as they can. Increased customer numbers have rewarded this strategy and they appear well set to generate additional business and revenues through the investment they have made this time."