A FORMBY couple who have taken over a West Lancashire garden centre say they believe the gardening market is ripe for growth despite the recession.

Richard and Suzanne Allison have bought the Warbreck Garden Centre in Lathom, Ormskirk, and have started revamping the site to attract more visitors.

Mr Allison, whose family ran the Lady Green Garden Centre, near Formby until they sold it last year, said: “Warbreck has already got an audience, but we want to give it even more family appeal.”

The couple have begun expanding the restaurant at the site. They also want to expand Warbreck’s existing shops, including its aquatic supplies and furniture centres, and create a bigger gift store.

Mr Allison said: “Garden centres are pretty recession-resilient. Our trading is probably much more determined by the weather than by the economic climate.

“A lot of people will be ‘nesting’ this year and will be staying at home rather than going abroad, because of how the pound is doing.”

The centre turns over £1m a year and employs 30 people. The Allisons were advised by Liverpool law firm Brown Turner Ross.