Wyevale Garden Centres uproots brand with ACW

Wyevale Garden Centres has appointed London group Ashley Carter Whitehead to reposition the brand and refresh retail interiors across its 122-strong estate.

The move comes as the company, which operates the largest garden centre chain in the UK, looks to introduce greater coherence across its retail portfolio.

‘Because of acquisitions over the years, [Wyevale Garden Centres encompasses] everything from small, 560m2 garden centres to full-blown, out-of-town shops,’ says ACW director Neil Whitehead. ‘The trick is to create consistency across a diverse portfolio of properties.’

Whitehead says the consultancy will be engaged in master vision work until late February, with a prototype retail space expected to be completed next summer. If successful, elements of the concept will roll out across the entire Wyevale Garden Centres’ estate in a three-year programme.

Whitehead says there is likely to be ‘some evolution’ of the company’s brand identity, but emphasises that the group will mainly concern itself with creating ‘a clear brand and clear positioning’, through graphic communications that will be applied in-store.

Wyevale Garden Centres, which bills itself as catering for ‘everyone’, from novice gardeners to specialist horticulturists, stocks plants, gardening equipment, and outdoor furniture and accessories. The company has an annual turnover approaching £200m.

ACW won the work, which Whitehead says is worth a ‘sizeable’ fee to the group, in January.