Vanessa and Tony Day ran the garden centre for two-and-a-half years but were forced to place it in liquidation
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Garden centre boss tells of closure hell
July 12, 2010
A former owner of a garden centre operation has spoken of his “nightmare” at having to put his family business into liquidation and fire his staff.
But Moss End Garden Centre in Warfield will remain open and some of its staff have got their jobs back after a new tenant took up the lease.
Tony and Vanessa Day ran the garden centre for two-and-a-half years but were forced to place it in liquidation last week after the recession, a tough winter and an ongoing planning wrangle took their toll on the business.
Tony said: “The garden centre under my ownership has gone into liquidation. We had to make all of the 16 staff redundant which was one of the worst experiences of my life.
“It’s a nightmare. We’ve owned the business for two-and-a-half years but we’ve worked with the people here for about 10 years and to have to tell them they were losing their jobs was earth shattering.
“We had to shut the doors on Friday and now our business is in the hands of the liquidators.”
Tony said an ongoing planning wrangle has had a major effect on the business.
“You also can’t ignore the fact that there’s been a recession and with the General Election I think there was also some uncertainty which stopped people spending.
“The worst winter in 30 years did not help us either.”
The business’ liquidation dealt an additional emotional blow to Tony and Vanessa.
In September 2008 the couple’s son, Anton, died from leukaemia and prior to his death Tony, Vanessa and Anton all worked together at the centre.
Tony added: “We have really strong emotional attachments with the centre. To work with my wife and son on a daily basis was a dream come true, it was wonderful.”
The Days set up the Anton Day Smile Foundation in memory of their son to raise money and help cancer sufferers.
The foundation has a shop on the Moss End site but Tony said the liquidation will not affect he charity.
There was also heartbreak last year when long-term employee Roger Thorpe, who Tony said was “like a father” to staff, died after suffering from lung cancer.
The garden centre is still open because landlord Schyde Investments was quickly able to find a new owner to take it on.
Mike Edmund, director of Schyde Investments, said: “The concession went into liquidation but the new guy was interested and we’ve managed to keep the centre open. He was keen to get started straight away.
“He’s kept a number of the staff and at the moment the centre is still open but they’re in the process of moving things around and giving it a fresh new look.
“It is still called Moss End Garden Centre and it will remain open although there are signs up apologising for any disturbance while they work on the interior of the centre.”
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Amazing how people blame 'everything else' for their failure and fail to accept responsibility
Bracknell town centre has been undermined by it's own local authority for years, an organisation that has applied national 'planning policy' to The Point retail park, consistent with PPG 6 and designated The Point as part of the town centre.
This council 'policy' has totally undermined The Bracknell Town Centre retail area and led to it's degeneration and dire economic position.
The Council 'lorded' the the arrival of Marks & Spencer Food as the commencement of the town's 'regeneration' and even they (Marks & Spencer) could not build a sustainable business in Bracknell.
The failure of the Council, it's elected members and employed officers, to prevent the developments at Moss End Garden Centre, has added to the dire situation in the town, by their years of in action.
To top it all, these people now want 'us' to feel 'sorry' for them, because that benefited from what could be 'argued' as an illegal activity!! Bracknell Forest Council continues the 'prostitute' the 'NOW' and retail 'FUTURE' of Bracknell to a 'promise' of change.
I feel so sorry for the people of Bracknell who deserve so much more. I feel equally sorry for the small business 'owners' who arrive in the 'town centre' with enthusiasm and excitement, about opening their new business and watch their life's savings disappear before their eyes.
As once senior council officer said once, "We don't have any responsibility to small business, we just have to try as many shop units 'open' as we can"
As the MAN with under Arm Fitting Trousers would say: No, No, No & No and the small retailers in Bracknell know just what I mean.................
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