Dobbies to close 17 Garden Centres

I wonder if someone like Dobbies actually run the cafe, surely its all franchise stuff these days.
I think that's how our local Notcutts works, all kinds of stuff but different companies presumably paying rent for the space.

 

I remember going there several years ago with a friend @KT53 .
I went to get us some more drinks and it was ridiculous. In the end she queued at one till and I queued at another. Whoever got served first bought the drinks.
I was absolutely seething at the stupidity of it. No sign of any managers or someone using common sense.
To be fair it did seem to improve in later years, but I haven't been in there for 18 months or more.

 

The Gosforth branch closure probably means I'll pay my mortgage off in half the time, it's on my commuting route and I have a totally empty new garden

But to echo the others, it's not great. Some one off bargains and a very interesting aquarium/ pond integrated shop (they had Axolotl last time! ) plus decent bangers & mash and white wine ("Do you want the veg, love, or swap to chips?"), but when it comes to actual garden plants it has pretty much nothing.

I'll keep an eye on clearance sale