Laylocks Garden Centre in Cotheridge, near Worcester, officially reopened today (Saturday) with live music, free goodies, children's entertainment and much more.
It had unveiled its biggest new development since opening in the early 1980s after a sizeable investment of more than half a million pounds.
![Malvern Gazette: Two faires were at the garden centre ready to greet guests.]( "Malvern Gazette: Two faires were at the garden centre ready to greet guests.")
Two faires were at the garden centre ready to greet guests. (Image: Laylocks Garden Centre)Visitors entering the store were greeted not just by two fairies and a pirate on stilts but by a new entrance.
The first 100 visitors received a free goodie bag, and the first 200 got free flowers.
![Malvern Gazette: Shoppers queued to get a peek inside the centre's extended restaurant.]( "Malvern Gazette: Shoppers queued to get a peek inside the centre's extended restaurant.")
Shoppers queued to get a peek inside the centre's extended restaurant. (Image: NQ)Jean Brownridge travelled from Hartlebury for the grand opening and said she had never expected it to be so busy.
"The new renovation is so much better, and it's bigger," she said.
![Malvern Gazette: OVERJOYED: Sisters Christine Minton, Pauline Jenkins and Jean Brownridge with their free goodie bags.]( "Malvern Gazette: OVERJOYED: Sisters Christine Minton, Pauline Jenkins and Jean Brownridge with their free goodie bags.")
OVERJOYED: Sisters Christine Minton, Pauline Jenkins and Jean Brownridge with their free goodie bags. (Image: NQ)"We have not even made it all the way around yet, as there are so many people."
Laylocks Garden Centre now has more than 650sqm of retail space, an expanded restaurant and a newly developed plant and landscape area.
![Malvern Gazette: Inside the extended restaurant.]( "Malvern Gazette: Inside the extended restaurant.")
Inside the extended restaurant. (Image: NQ)The expansion will lead to the centre having more than 650sqm of retail space, an expanded restaurant, a brand-new layout with an entrance, and a newly developed plant and landscape area.
The centre also promises a larger home and lifestyle department.
![Malvern Gazette: SHIVER ME TIMBERS: A pirate on stilts was at the event.]( "Malvern Gazette: SHIVER ME TIMBERS: A pirate on stilts was at the event.")
SHIVER ME TIMBERS: A pirate on stilts was at the event. (Image: Laylocks Garden Centre)Hannah Warr, director of Laylocks Garden Centre, said: "It feels amazing so many people came because this project has been in the pipeline for two years.
"I never thought we would get to this day.
![Malvern Gazette: The centre has a larger home and lifestyle department.]( "Malvern Gazette: The centre has a larger home and lifestyle department.")
The centre has a larger home and lifestyle department. (Image: NQ)"The team has been amazing and has really pulled in all their efforts, so we would not have been able to do it without them."
Inside the store were long queues as hundreds of shoppers waited to buy goodies, try free tasters, and get their faces painted.
![Malvern Gazette: Joan Brookes and Sue Sparrey with their free flowers.]( "Malvern Gazette: Joan Brookes and Sue Sparrey with their free flowers.")
Joan Brookes and Sue Sparrey with their free flowers. (Image: NQ)Ms Warr added: "I was actually really worried no one would turn up, so I was very naive in thinking that.
"We were going to give out 100 free goodie bags at 11am but had to move it to 10.30am as people were queueing out the door.
"They ran out in 10 minutes."
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