Dobbies Garden Centres are closing multiple UK branches in 2025 as part of a restructuring plan to tackle "historically uneconomical rent costs," improve profitability, and secure the company’s long-term future. The closures, which include 11 mainline and 6 Little Dobbies stores, follow a reported 25.1% drop in underlying pre-tax profits, driven by high inflation, rising energy costs, and lower consumer spending.
Why is the garden centre chain closing down? Dobbies says that the 16 stores slated for closure are 'unprofitable'. It says that the restructuring plan intends to 'address historically uneconomical rent costs and ensure a return to sustainable profitability'.
The company reported a 25.1% drop in underlying pre-tax profits to £568million for the year to January 31, 2024. The high street more broadly has struggled as well, due to high inflation and combined and the trend towards online shopping.
Popular UK garden centre Dobbies closed 8 stores across the UK in 2025, in-line with the company's major restructuring plan. Most of these took place earlier this year, from January to March, resulting in Rugby, Morpeth, Stapleton, Havant, Hare Hatch, Leicester, Aylesbury and Northampton closing their doors for good.
Inverness Dobbies Garden Centre is Closing Down (ft Calum Macritchie)
Who is taking over Dobbies Garden Centres?
The former Dobbies site, which closed in 2024, is now being run by British Garden Centres — the largest family-owned garden centre group in the UK — which also has a site in Brockworth.
In the 2024 financial year, Dobbies' sales were £270m and there was a loss at underlying EBITDA level – management's preferred measure of performance – of £1.7m. In the year to February 23 2025, sales dipped to £257m and the loss rose to £6.2m.
It has now been acquired by the Boyle family, who operate a number of home, DIY, and building supply outlets across Kerry. “With this new name, our goal is to bring not only a refreshed identity but also consistency, stability, and sustained growth to the site,” said Adrian Boyle, who is part of the new ownership.
Dobbies Garden Centres closed eight locations in early 2025 (Rugby, Morpeth, Stapleton, Havant, Hare Hatch, Leicester, Aylesbury, Northampton) as part of a major restructuring to improve profitability, with some sites taken over by other operators like British Garden Centres and Gates Garden Centres, impacting over 400 staff but securing the long-term future of the remaining 60+ stores.
