New shop in Rutland Garden Village, Langham officially opened
The owners of a garden centre have opened a new shop as they push forward with improvement plans.
Married couple Katey Lester and Robin Batten took over Rutland Garden Village about 18 months ago and are continuing to make positive changes to the site in Ashwell Road, Langham.
These include making the garden centre more eco-friendly, improving the customer experience and stocking a wider range of products.
To ensure that the new shop was off to a good start Dr Sarah Furness, Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland, visited the garden village to host an official ribbon cutting on Tuesday this week.
Dr Furness said: “I am delighted that we have a new shop and the expansion of a thriving Rutland business – particularly when so many businesses are suffering and closing due to the Covid restrictions.
“Covid has brought home to us all the importance of growing things and outside space for our mental wellbeing.
“A source of indoor and outdoor plants and information is so welcome to us all.”
The Village Shop was created by Robin and Katey in response to the feedback they were getting from customers.
Robin, a father-of-two, said: “During lockdown we were required to create a one-way system for the whole site to protect people.
“As a result, everybody came in through the new entrance by the Village Shop end.
“Almost in days the feedback we were getting was ‘we had no idea this was all here’ - all the shops like Pets Corner, Rutland Sewing and Ball Gown Heaven.
“We quickly thought the new one-way system works and people are able to see so much more of the site so let’s keep it.
“We decided to have a big statement shop at the beginning with really interesting products.”
The Garden Village Shop stocks a range of products including books, food items, home decorations and gifts.
“Pretty much every person coming in is finding something they have never seen before or something interesting,” said Robin.
He added: “Some people don’t know we are here.
“We are going to make lots of changes and people coming like it already and say what we’ve done is fantastic. We’ve got so many more ideas.”
Despite it only being October, a range of Christmas decorations are on display and plans are in motion for a late night shopping event and children’s treasure hunt to be held at the garden centre on December 3.
