Before Demolition All in One garden centre | Rochdale | Drone Flight | 18th January 2023

Описание: All-In-One Garden Centre on Rochdale Road in Middleton first opened its doors in 1971, but shut down the site in early July of 2022 with all operations moving online.

The garden centre has been popular among people from neighbouring areas for decades but the decision was made to close due to the business slowing down.

Jason Stafford, chairman of the centre and son of its founder Dave, said: "The main reason (for closing) has been a steady decline in business over the last few years and the shareholders decided to sell.

"Then along came Covid, which made the process more difficult."

Jason explained how he was born "about 10 days" before All-In-One opened and how it is "very emotional" for him to say goodbye to the centre which has been a constant part of his life.

He said: "I've spent my entire life working in the centre.

"It's the end of an era and it's upsetting, but the time is right to sell."

In a Facebook post at the announcing the garden centre's closure, the Stafford family explained how it has been difficult to trade since the pandemic began, with the loss of the centre's restaurant an example some of the difficulties they have faced.

Jason said the thing he would miss most was growing plants, which is his favourite role at the centre.

He said: "We grew about 98 per cent of the plants we sold.

"Our new premises won't have the correct facilities to grow."

Although Jason will miss being able to grow plants, he said he is "looking forward to those new challenges" as All-In-One moves all trading online.

Jason concluded by thanking all the loyal customers and members of staff, some of whom had worked at the centre of roughly 40 years.

He said: "We're very grateful and very proud of what we achieved."